
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 


Chains Copyright No. 

" T^2L8 

Shelf - 

A 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

1 


















































I , 



































■ ' 
















HUB) 


Dinah M. Mulock 









the 

ADVENTURES OE 
A BROWNIE 


AS TOLD TO AY CHILD 


THE AUTHOR OE 
cJohn Halifax. Gentleman 1 


CHICAGO 


COMPANY 


W. B. CONKE i 


PUBLISHER: 


n 


41996 


Library ©* Cono«-e*» 
!wo Copies KtCtUEO 

SEP 1 1900 

Copyright entry 

*„ A.&0X&& 

SECOND COPY. 

Delivered to 

0R01R DIVISION, 

SFP 6 1900 I 


PZ x 
,C 

A 

7 


Copyright, 1900, by W. B. Conkey Company. 


74275 


A -'Co-X 


CONTENTS 


ADVENTURE THE FIRST. 

PAGE. 

Brownie and the Cook 5 

' ADVENTURE THE SECOND. 

Brownie and the Cherry-tree 19 

ADVENTURE THE THIRD. 

Brownie in the Farm-yard 28 

ADVENTURE THE FOURTH. 

Brownie’s Ride 46 

ADVENTURE THE FIFTH. 

Brownie on the Ice 67 

ADVENTURE THE SIXTH AND LAST. 
Brownie and the Clothes 84 


The Fair One with Golden Locks 102 

The Woodcutter’s Daughter 120 

The Bluebird 15s 

The Yellow Dwarf 196 

The Juniper-tree 180 

Brother and Sister 206 


8 



“She perceived a young gentleman.” — Page 140. 

Adventures of a Brownie. 

























































































































THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


ADVENTURE THE FIRST. 

BROWNIE AND THE COOK. 

There was once a little Brownie, who lived — 
where do you think he lived ! in a coal-cellar. 

Now a coal-cellar may seem a most curious 
place to choose to live in ; but then a Brownie 
is a curious creature — a fairy, and yet not one 
of that sort of fairies who fly about on gos- 
samer wings, and dance in the moonlight, and 
so on. He never dances; and as to wings, 
what use would they be to him in a coal-cellar? 
He is a sober, stay-at-home, household elf — 
nothing much to look at, even if you did see 
him, which you are not likely to do — only a lit- 
tle old man, about a foot high, all dressed in 
brown, with a brown face and hands, and a 
brown peaked cap, just the color of a brown 
mouse. And, like a mouse, he hides in cor- 
ners — especially kitchen corners, and only" 
comes out after dark when nobody is about, 
and so sometimes people call him Mr. Nobody. 

5 


6 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


I said you were not likely to see him. I 
never did, certainly, and never knew any body 
that did; but still, if you were to go into 
Devonshire, you would hear many funny 
stories about Brownies in general, and so I 
may as well tell you the adventures of this 
particular Brownie, who belonged to a family 
there; which family he had followed from 
house to house, most faithfully, for years and 
years. 

A good many people had heard him — or sup- 
posed they had — when there were extraordin- 
ary noises about the house ; noises which must 
have come from a mouse or a rat — or a 
Brownie. But nobody had ever seen him ex- 
cept the children — the three little boys and 
three little girls — who declared he often came 
to play with them when they were alone, and 
was the nicest companion in the world, though 
he was such an old man — hundreds of years 
old ! He was full of fun and mischief, and 
up to all sorts of tricks, but he never did any 
body any harm unless they deserved it. 

Brownie was supposed to live under one par- 
ticular coal, in the darkest corner of the cellar, 
which was never allowed to be disturbed. 
Why he had chosen it nobody knew, and how 
he lived there, nobody knew either, nor what 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. T 


lie lived upon. Except that, ever since the 
family could remember, there had always been 
a bowl of milk put behind the coal-cellar door 
for the Brownie’s supper. Perhaps he drank 
it — perhaps he didn’t: anyhow, the bowl was 
always found empty next morning. The old 
Cook, who had lived all her life in the family, 
had never once forgotten to give Brownie his 
supper; but at last she died, and a young Cook 
came in her stead, who was very apt to forget 
everything. She was also both careless and 
lazy, and disliked taking the trouble to put a 
howl of milk in the same place every night 
for Mr. Nobody. “She didn't believe in 
Brownies,’’ she said; “she had never seen one, 
and seeing’s believing.’’ So she laughed at 
the other servants, who looked very grave, 
and put the bowl of milk in its place as often 
as they could, without saying much about it. 

But once, when Brownie woke up, at his 
usual hour for rising — ten o’clock at night, and 
looked round in search of his supper — which 
was, in fact, his breakfast — he found nothing 
■there. At first he could not imagine such 
neglect, and went smelling and smelling about 
for his bowl of milk — it was not always placed 
in the same corner now — but in vain. 

“This will never do,” said he; and, being 


8 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


extremely hungry, began running about the 
coal-cellar to see what he could find. His eyes 
were as useful in the dark as in the light — like 
a pussy-cat’s; but there was nothing to be 
seen — not even a potato paring, or a dry crust, 
or a well-gnawed bone, such as Tiny the ter- 
rier sometimes brought into the coal-cellar and 
left on the floor — nothing, in short, but heaps 
of coals and coal-dust; and even a Brownie can 
not eat that, you now. 

“Can’t sta-nd this; quite impossible!” said 
the Brownie, tightening his belt to make his 
poor little inside feel less empty. He had 
been asleep so long — about a week, I believe, 
as was his habit when there was nothing to do> 
— that he seemed ready to eat his own head, 
or his boots, or anything. “What's to be 
done? Since nobody brings my supper, I must 
go and fetch it. ’ * 

He spoke quickly, for he always thought 
quickly, and made up his mind in a minute. 
To be sure, it was a very little mind, like his 
little body; but he did the best he could with 
it, and was not a bad sort of old fellow, after 
all. In the house he had never done any 
harm, and often some good, for he frightened 
away all the rats, mice, and black-beetles. 
Not the crickets — he liked them, as the old 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 9 

Cook had done : she said they were such cheer- 
ful creatures, and always brought luck to the 
house. But the young Cook could not bear 
them, and used to pour boiling water down 
their holes, and set basins of beer for them 
with little wooden bridges up to the rim, that 
they might walk up, tumble in, and be 
drowned. 

So there was not even a cricket singing in 
the silent house when Brownie put his head 
out of his coal-cellar door, which, to his sur- 
prise, he found open. Old Cook used to lock 
it every night, but the young Cook had left 
that key, and the kitchen and pantry keys too, 
all dangling in the lock, so that any thief 
might have got in, and wandered all over the 
house without being found out. 

“Hurrah, here’s luck!’’ cried Brownie, toss- 
ing his cap up in the air, and bounding right 
through the scullery into the kitchen. It was 
quite empty, but there was a good fire burning 
itself out — just for its own amusement, and 
the remains of a capital supper spread on the 
table — enough for half a dozen people being* 
left still. 

Would you like to know what there was? 
Devonshire cream, of course; and part of a. 
large dish of junket, which is something like 


10 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


curds and whey. Lots of bread-and-butter and 
cheese, and half an apple-pudding. Also a 
great jug of cider and another of milk, and 
..several half-full glasses, and no end of dirty 
plates, knives, and forks. All were scattered 
about the table in the most untidy fashion, 
just as the servants had risen from their sup- 
per, without thinking to put anything away. 

Brownie screwed up his little old face and 
turned up his button of a nose, and gave a 
long whistle. You might not believe it, 
seeing he lived in a coal-cellar ; but really he 
liked tidiness, and always played his pranks 
upon disorderly or slovenly folk. 

“Whew!” said he; “here’s a chance. What 
.a supper I’ll get now!” 

And he jumped on to a chair and thence to 
the table, but so quietly that the large black 
cat with four white paws called Muff, because 
she was so fat and soft and her fur so long, 
who sat dozing in front of the fire, just opened 
one eye and went to sleep again. She had 
tried to get her nose into the milk-jug, but it 
was too small; and the junket-dish was too 
deep for her to reach, except with one paw. 
She didn’t care much for bread and cheese and 
apple-pudding, and was very well fed besides ; 
-SO, after just wandering round the table, she 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 11 


had jumped down from it again, and settled 
herself to sleep on the hearth. 

But Brownie had no notion of going to sleep. 
He wanted his supper, and oh ! what a supper 
he did eat ! first one thing and then another, 
and then trying everything all over again. 
And oh ! what a lot he drank — first milk and 
then cider, and then mixing the two together 
in a way that would have disagreed with any- 
body except a Brownie. As it was, he was 
obliged to slacken his belt several times, and 
at last took it off altogether. But he must 
have had a most extraordinary capacity for 
eating and drinking — since, after he had nearly 
cleared the table, he was just as lively as ever, 
and began jumping about on the table as if he 
had had no supper at all. 

Now his jumping was a little awkward, for 
there happened to be a clean white table-cloth : 
as this was only Monday, it had had no time to 
get dirty — untidy as the Cook was. And you 
know Brownie lived in a coal-cellar, and his 
feet were black with running about in coal 
dust. So wherever he trod, he left the impres- 
sion behind, until at last the whole table-cloth 
was covered with black marks. 

Not that he minded this; in fact, he took 
great pains to make the cloth as dirty as pos- 


12 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


sible ; and then laughing loudly, “Ho, ho, 
ho!” leaped on to the hearth, and began teas- 
ing the cat; squeaking like a mouse, or chirp- 
ing like a cricket, or buzzing like a fly; and 
altogether disturbing poor Pussy’s mind so 
much, that she went and hid herself in the far- 
thest corner, and left him the hearth all to 
himself, where he lay at ease till day-break. 

Then, hearing a slight noise overhead, which 
might be the servants getting up, he jumped 
on to the table again — gobbled up the few 
remaining crumbs for his breakfast, and scam- 
pered off to his coal-cellar; where he hid him- 
self under his big coal, and fell asleep for the 
day. 

Well, the Cook came downstairs rather ear- 
lier than usual, for she remembered she had to 
clear off the remains of supper; but lo and be- 
hold, there was nothing left to clear! Every 
bit of food was eaten up — the cheese looked as 
if a dozen mice had been nibbling at it, and 
nibbled it down to the very rind ; the milk and 
cider were all drunk — and mice don’t care for 
milk and cider, you know. As for the apple- 
pudding, it had vanished altogether; and the 
dish was licked as clean as if Boxer, the yard- 
dog, had been at it in his hungriest mood. 

“And my white table-cloth — oh, my clean 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 13 


white table-cloth ! ^hat can have been done 
to it?” cried she, in amazement. For it was 
all over little black foot-marks, just the size of 
a baby’s foot — only babies don’t wear shoes 
with nails in them, and don’t run about and 
climb on kitchen tables after all the family 
have gone to bed. 

Cook was a little frightened ; but her fright 
changed to anger when she saw the large black 
cat stretched comfortably on the hearth. Poor 
Muff had crept there for a little snooze after 
Brownie went away. 

‘‘You nasty cat! I see it all now; it’s you 
that have eaten up all the supper; it’s you that 
have been on my clean table-cloth with your 
dirty paws. ’ ’ 

They were white paws, and as clean as pos- 
sible ; but Cook never thought of that, any more 
than she did of the fact that cats don’t usually 
drink cider or eat apple-pudding. 

“I’ll teach you to come stealing food in this 
way; take that — and that — and that!” 

Cook got hold of a broom and beat poor Pussy 
till the creature ran mewing away. She couldn’t 
speak, you know — unfortunate cat! and tell 
people that it was Brownie who had done it all. 

Next night Cook thought she would make all 
safe and sure ; so, instead of letting the cat 


14 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


sleep by the fire, she shut her up in the chilly 
coal-cellar, locked the door, put the key in her 
pocket, and went off to bed — leaving the sup- 
per as before. 

When Brownie woke up and looked out of 
his hole, there was, as usual, no supper for 
him, and the cellar was close shut. He peered 
about, to try and find some cranny under the 
door to creep out at, but there was none. And 
he felt so hungry that he could almost have 
eaten the cat, who kept walking to and fro in 
a melancholy manner — only she was alive, and 
he couldn’t well eat her alive: besides, he 
knew she was old, and had an idea she might 
be tough; so he merely said, politely, “How 
do you do, Mrs. Pussy?” to which she answered 
nothing — of course. 

Something must be done, and luckily 
Brownies can do things which nobody else can 
do. So the thought he would change himself 
into a mouse, and gnaw a hole through the 
door. But then he suddenly remembered the 
cat, who, though he had decided not to eat her, 
might take this opportunity of eating him. 
So he thought it advisable to wait till she was 
fast asleep, which did not happen for a good 
while. At length, quite tired with walking 
about, Pussy turned round on her tail six times, 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 1& 


curled down in a corner, and fell fast 
asleep. 

Immediately Brownie changed himself into 
the smallest mouse possible ; and, taking care 
not to make the least noise, gnawed a hole in 
the door, and squeezed himself through, imme- 
diately turning into his proper shape again, for 
fear of accidents. 

The kitchen fire was at its last glimmer ; but 
it showed a better supper than even last night, 
for the Cook had had friends with her — a. 
brother and two cousins — and they had been 
exceedingly merry. The food they had left 
behind was enough for three Brownies at least, 
but this one managed to eat it all up. Only 
once, in trying to cut a great slice of beef, he 
left the carving-knife and fork fall with such a 
clatter, that Tiny the terrier, who was tied up 
at the foot of the stairs, began to bark furi- 
ously. However, he brought her her puppy, 
which had been left in a basket in a corner of 
the kitchen, and so succeeded in quieting her. 

After that he enjoyed himself amazingly, 
and made more marks than ever on the white 
table-cloth; for he began jumping about like a 
pea on a trencher, in order to make his parti- 
cularly large supper agree with him. 

Then, in the absence of the cat, he teased 


16 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


the puppy for an hour or two, till, hearing the 
■clock strike five, he thought it as well to turn 
into a mouse again, and creel back cautiously 
into his cellar. He was only just in time, for 
Muff opened one eye, and was just going to 
pounce upon him, when he changed himself 
back into a Brownie. She was so startled that 
she bounded away, her tail growing into twice 
its natural size, and her eyes gleaming like 
round green globes. But Brownie only said, 
u Ha, ha, ho!” and walked deliberately into his 
hole. 

When Cook came down stairs und saw that 
the same thing had happened again — that the 
supper was all eaten, and the table-cloth 
blacker than ever with the extraordinary foot- 
marks, she was greatly puzzled. Who could 
have done it all? Not the cat, who came mew- 
ing out of the coal-cellar the minute she un- 
locked the door. Possibly a rat — but then 
would a rat have come within reach of Tiny? 

“It must have been Tiny herself, or her 
puppy,” which just came rolling out of its 
basket over Cook’s feet. “You little wretch! 
You and your mother are the greatest nuisance 
imaginable. I’ll punish you!” 

And, quite forgetting that Tiny had been 
safely tied up all night, and that her poor little 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 17 


puppy was so fat and helpless it could scarcely 
stand on its legs, to say nothing of jumping on 
chairs and tables, she gave them both such a 
thrashing that they ran howling together out 
of the kitchen door, where the kind little 
kitchen-maid took them up in her arms. 

“You ought to have beaten the Brownie, if 
you could catch him, ’ ' said she, in a whisper. 
“ He’ll do it again and again, you’ll see, for 
he can’t bear an untidy kitchen. You’d better 
do as poor old Cook did, and clear the supper 
things away, and put the odds and ends safe 
in the larder; also,” she added, mysteriously, 
“if I were you, I’d put a bowl of milk behind 
the coal-cellar door. ’ ’ 

“Nonsense!” answered the young Cook, and 
flounced away. But afterward she thought 
better of it, and did as she was advised, grumb- 
ling all the time, but doing it. 

Next morning the milk was gone! Perhaps 
Brownie had drunk it up, anyhow nobody 
could say that he hadn’t. As for the supper, 
Cook having safely laid it on the shelves of the 
larder, nobody touched it. And the table-cloth, 
which was wrapped up tidily and put in the 
dresser drawer, came out as clean as ever with 

2 Brownie 


18 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


not a single black foot-mark upon it. No mis- 
chief being done, the cat and the dog both 
escaped beating, and Brownie played no more 
tricks with anybody — till the next time. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 15 


ADVENTURE THE SECOND. 

BROWNIE AND THE CHERRY-TREE. 

The “next time” was quick in coming, 
which was not wonderful, considering there 
was a Brownie in the house. Otherwise the 
house was like most other houses, and the fam- 
ily like most other families. The children 
also: they were sometimes good, sometimes 
naughty, like other children; but, on the 
whole, they deserved to have the pleasure of a 
Brownie to play with them, as they declared he 
did — many and many a time. 

A favorite play-place was the orchard, where 
grew the biggest cherry-tree you ever saw. 
They called it their “castle,” because it rose 
up ten feet from the ground in one thick stem, 
and then branched out into a circle of boughs, 
with a flat place in the middle, where two or 
three children could sit at once. There they 
often did sit, turn by turn, or one at a time — 
sometimes with a book, reading; and the big- 
gest boy made a sort of rope-ladder by which 
they could climb up and down — which they did 


20 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

all winter, and enjoyed their “castle” very 
much. 

But one day in spring they found their lad- 
der cut away ! The Gardener had done it, say- 
ing it injured the tree, which was just coming 
into blossom. Now this Gardener was a rather 
gruff man, with a growling voice. He did 
not mean to be unkind, but he disliked chil- 
dren; he said they bothered him. But when 
they complained to their mother about the lad- 
der, she agreed with Gardener that the tree 
must not be injured, as it bore the biggest 
cherries in all the neighborhood — so big that 
the old saying of ‘ * taking two bites at a cherry, ’ ’ 
came really true. 

“Wait till the cherries are ripe,” said she; 
and so the little people waited, and watched it 
through its leafing and blossoming — such 
sheets of blossom, white as snow! — till the 
fruit began to show, and grew large and red on 
every bough. 

At last one morning the mother said, “Chil- 
dren, should you like to help gather the cher- 
ries to-day?” 

“Hurrah!” they cried, “and not a day too 
soon ; for we saw a flock of starlings in the 
next field — and if we don’t clear the tree, they 
will.” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 21 


“Very well; clear it, then. Only mind and 
fill my basket quite full, for preserving. What 
is over you may eat, if you like. ” 

“Thank you, thank you!” and the children 
were eager to be off ; but the mother stopped 
them till she could get the Gardener and his 
ladder. 

“For it is he must climb the tree, not you; 
and you must do exactly as he tells you ; and 
he will stop with you all the time and see that 
you don’t come to harm.’’ 

This was no slight cloud on the children’s 
happiness, and they begged hard to go alone. 

“Please, might we? We will be so good!” 

The mother shook her head. All the good- 
ness in the world would not help them if they 
tumbled off the tree, or ate themselves sick 
with cherries. “You would not be safe, and I 
should be so unhappy!’’ 

To make mother “unhappy’’ was the worst 
rebuke possible to these children; so they 
choked down their disappointment, and fol- 
lowed the Gardener as he walked on ahead, 
carrying his ladder on his shoulder. He looked 
very cross, and as if he did not like the chil- 
dren’s company at all. 

They were pretty good, on the whole, though 
they chattered a good deal ; but Gardener said 


22 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


not a word to them all the way to the or- 
chard. 

When they reached it, he just told them to 
“keep out of his way and not worrit him,” 
which they politely promised, saying among 
themselves that they should not enjoy their 
-cherry-gathering at all. But children who 
make the best of things, and try to be as good 
as they can, sometimes have fun unawares. 

When the Gardener was steadying his ladder 
against the trunk of the cherry-tree, there was 
suddenly heard the barking of a dog, and a 
very fierce dog, too. First it seemed close 
beside them, then in the flower-garden, then in 
the fowl-yard. 

Gardener dropped the ladder out of his 
hands. “It’s that Boxer! He has got loose 
again ! He will be running after my chickens, 
and dragging his broken chain all over my 
borders. And he is so fierce, and so delighted 
to get free. He’ll bite anybody who ties him 
up, except me.’’ 

“Hadn’t you better go and see after him?’’ 

Gardener thought it was the eldest boy who 
•spoke, and turned round angrily; but the little 
fellow had never opened his lips. 

Here there was heard a still louder bark, and 
from a quite different part of the garden. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 23 


“There he is — I’m sure of it! jumping over 
my bedding-out plants, and breaking my 
cucumber frames. Abominable beast! — just 
let me catch him!” 

Off Gardener darted in a violent passion, 
throwing the ladder down upon the grass, and 
forgetting all about the cherries and the chil- 
dren. 

The instant he was gone, a shrill laugh, loud 
and merry, was heard close by, and a little 
brown old man’s face peeped from behind the 
cherry-tree. 

“How d’ye do? — Boxer was me. Didn’t I 
bark well? Now I’m come to play with you.’’ 

The children clapped their hands ; for they 
knew they were going to have some fun if 
Brownie was there — he was the best little 
playfellow in the world. And then they had 
him all to themselves. Nobody ever saw him 
except the children. 

“Come on!’’ cried he, in his shrill voice, 
half like an old man’s, half like a baby’s. 
“Who’ll begin to gather the cherries?’’ 

They all looked blank ; for the tree was so 
high to where the branches sprung, and besides, 
their mother had said they were not to climb. 
And the ladder lay flat upon the grass — far too 
heavy for little hands to move. 


24 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

“What! you big boys don’t expect a poor 
little fellow like me to lift the ladder all by 
myself? Try! I’ll help you.” 

Whether he helped or not, no sooner had 
they taken hold of the ladder than it rose up, 
almost of its own accord, and fixed itself quite 
safely against the tree. 

“But we must not climb — mother told us- 
not,” said the boys, ruefully. “Mother said 
we were to stand at the bottom and pick up 
the cherries.” 

“Very well. Obey your mother. I’ll just 
run up the tree myself.” 

Before the words were out of his mouth 
Brownie had darted up the ladder like a 
monkey, and disappeared among the fruit- 
laden branches. 

The children looked dismayed for a minute,, 
till they saw a merry brown face peeping out 
from the green leaves at the very top of the 
tree. 

“Biggest fruit always grows highest,” cried 
the Brownie. “Stand in a row, all you childien. 
Little boys, hold out your caps: little girls, 
make a bag of your pinafores. Open your 
mouths and shut your eyes, and see what the 
queen will send you.” 

They laughed and did as they were told ; 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 25 

whereupon they were drowned in a shower of 
cherries — cherries falling like hailstones, hit- 
ting them on their heads, their cheeks, their 
noses — filling their caps and pinafores, and 
then rolling and tumbling on to the grass, till 
it was strewn thick as leaves in autumn with 
the rosy fruit. 

What a glorious scramble they had — these 
three little boys and three little girls! How 
they laughed and jumped and knocked heads 
together in picking up the cherries, yet never 
quarreled — for there were such heaps, it would 
have been ridiculous to squabble over them ; 
and besides, whenever they began to quarrel, 
Brownie always ran away. Now he was the 
merriest of the lot ; ran up and down the tree 
like a cat, helped to pick up the cherries, and 
was first-rate at filling the large market-basket. 

“We were to eat as many as we liked, only 
we must first fill the basket,” conscientiously 
said the eldest girl; upon which they all set to 
at once, and filled it to the brim. 

“Now we’ll have a dinner-party,” cried the 
Brownie ; and squatted down like a Turk, cross- 
ing his queer little legs, and sticking his 
elbows upon his knees, in a way that nobody 
but a Brownie could manage. “Sit in a ring! 
sit in a ring! and we’ll see who can eat fastest. ’* 


26 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


The children obeyed. How many cherries 
they devoured, and how fast they did it, passes 
my capacity of telling. I only hope they were 
not ill next day, and that all the cherry-stones 
they swallowed by mistake did not disagree 
with them. But perhaps nothing does disagree 
with one when one dines with a Brownie. 
They ate so much, laughing in equal propor- 
tion, that they had quite forgotten the Gar- 
dener — when, all of a sudden, they heard him 
clicking angrily the orchard gate, and talking 
to himself as he walked through. 

“That nasty dog! It wasn’t Boxer, after all. 
A nice joke! to find him quietly asleep in his 
kennel after having hunted him, as I thought, 
from one end of the garden to the other! 
Now for the cherries and the children — bless 
us, where are the children? And the cherries? 
Why, the tree is as bare as a blackthorn in Feb- 
ruary ! The starlings have been at it, after all. 
Oh dear! oh dear!” 

“Oh dear! oh dear!” echoed a voice from 
behind the tree, followed by shouts of mocking 
laughter. Not from the children — they sat as 
demure as possible, all in a ring, with their 
hands before them, and in the center the huge 
basket of cherries, piled as full as it could pos- 
sibly hold. But the Brownie had disappeared. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 27 


“You naughty brats, I’ll have you pun- 
ished!” cried the Gardener, furious at the 
laughter, for he never laughed himself. But 
as there was nothing wrong, the cherries being 
gathered — a very large crop — and the ladder 
found safe in its place — it was difficult to say 
what had been the harm done and who had 
done it. 

So he went growling back to the house, 
carrying the cherries to the mistress, who 
coaxed him into good temper again, as she 
sometimes did; bidding also the children to 
behave well to him, since he was an old man, 
and not really bad— only cross. As for the little 
folks, she had not the slightest intention of 
punishing them ; and, as for Brownie, it was 
impossible to catch him. So nobody was pun- 
ished at all. 


28 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


ADVENTURE THE THIRD. 

BROWNIE IN THE FARM-YARD. 

Which was a place where he did not often go, 
for he preferred being warm and snug in the 
house. But when he felt himself ill-used he 
would wander anywhere in order to play tricks 
upon those whom he thought had done him 
harm ; for, being only a Brownie, and not a 
man, he did not understand that the best way 
to revenge yourself upon your enemies is either 
to let them alone or to pay them back good for 
evil — it disappoints them so much, and makes 
them so exceedingly ashamed of themselves. 

One day Brownie overheard the Gardener 
advising the Cook to put sour milk into his 
bowl at night, instead of sweet. 

“He’d never find out the difference, no more 
than the pigs do. Indeed, it’s my belief that 
a pig, or dog, or something, empties the bowl, 
and not a Brownie, at all. It’s just clean waste 
— that’s what I say.’’ 

“Then you’d better hold your tongue, and 
mind your own business, ’ ’ returned the Cook, 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 29 


who was of a sharp temper, and would not 
stand being meddled with. She began to 
abuse the Gardener soundly; but his wife, 
who was standing by, took his part, as she 
always did when any third party scolded him. 
So they all squabbled together, till Brownie, 
hid under his coal, put his little hands over 
his little ears. 

“Dear me, what a noise these mortals do 
make when they quarrel ! They quite deafen 
me. I must teach them better manners.” 

But when the Cook slammed the door to, and 
left Gardener and his wife alone, they too 
began to dispute between themselves. 

“You make such a fuss over your nasty pigs, 
and get all the scraps for them,” said the wife. 
“It’s of much more importance that I should 
have everything Cook can spare for my 
chickens. Never were such fine chickens as 
my last brood!” 

“I thought they were ducklings.” 

“How you catch me up, you rude old man! 
They are ducklings, and beauties, too — even 
though they have never seen water. Where’s 
the pond you promised to make for me, I won- 
der?” 

“Rubbish, woman! If my cows do without a 
pond, your ducklings may. And why will you 


30 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


be so silly as to rear ducklings at all? Fine fat 
chickens are a deal better. You’ll find out 
your mistake some day. ” 

“And so will you when that old Alderney 
runs dry. You’ll wish you had taken my 
advice, and fattened and sold her.” 

“Alderney cows won’t sell for fattening, and 
women’s advice is never worth two-pence. 
Yours isn’t worth even a half-penny. What 
are you laughing at?’’ 

“I wasn’t laughing, ’’ said the wife, angrily; 
and, in truth, it was not she, but little Brownie, 
running under the barrow which the Gardener 
was wheeling along, and very much amused 
that people should be so silly as to squabble 
about nothing. 

It was still early morning ; for, whatever this 
old couple’s faults might be, laziness was not 
one of them. The wife rose with the dawn to 
feed her poultry and collect her eggs; the 
husband also got through as much work by 
breakfast time as many an idle man does by 
noon. But Brownie had been beforehand with, 
them this day. 

When all the fowls came running to be fed, 
the big Brahma hen who had hatched the duck- 
lings was seen wandering forlornly about, and 
clucking mournfully for her young brood — she 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 31 


could not find them anywhere. Had she been 
able to speak, she might have told how a large- 
white Aylesbury duck had waddled into the 
farm-yard, and waddled out again, coaxing: 
them after her, no doubt in search of a pond. 
But missing they were, most certainly. 

“Cluck, cluck, cluck!” mourned the miser- 
able hen-mother — and, “Oh, my ducklings, 
my ducklings!” cried the Gardener’s wife — 
“Who can have carried off my beautiful duck- 
lings?” 

“Rats, maybe,” said the Gardener, cruelly, 
as he walked away. And as he went he heard 
the squeak of a rat below his wheelbarrow. 
But he could not catch it, any more than his. 
wife could catch the Aylesbury duck. Of course 
not. Both were — the Brownie ! 

Just at this moment the six little people 
came running into the farm-yard. When they 
had been particularly good, they were some- 
times allowed to go with Gardener a-milking, 
each carrying his or her own mug for a drink 
of milk, warm from the cow. They scampered, 
after him — a noisy tribe, begging to be taken 
down to the field, and holding out their six 
mugs entreatingly. 

“What! six cupfuls of milk, when I haven’t 
a drop to spare, and Cook is always wanting 


32 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


more? Ridiculous nonsense! Get along with 
you; you may come to the field — I can’t hinder 
that — but you’ll get no milk this day. Take 
your mugs back again to the kitchen.” 

The poor little folks made the best of a bad 
business, and obeyed; then followed Gardener 
down to the field, rather dolefully. But it 
was such a beautiful morning that they soon 
recovered their spirits. The grass shone with 
dew, like a sheet of diamonds, the clover smelled 
so sweet, and two skylarks were singing at one 
another high up in the sky. Several rabbits 
darted past, to their great amusement, espe- 
cially one very large rabbit — brown, not gray 
— which dodged them in and out, and once 
nearly threw Gardener down, pail and all, by 
running across his feet; which set them all 
laughing, till they came where Dolly, the cow, 
lay chewing the cud under a large oak-tree. 

It was great fun to stir her up, as usual, and 
lie down, one after the other, in the place 
where she had lain all night long, making the 
grass flat, and warm, and perfumy with her 
sweet breath. She let them do it, and then 
stood meekly by ; for Dolly was the gentlest 
cow in the world. 

But this morning something strange seemed 
to possess her. She altogether refused to be 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 33 


milked — kicked, plunged, tossed over the pail, 
which was luckily empty. 

“Bless the cow! what’s wrong with her? 
It’s surely you children’s fault. Stand off, 
the whole lot of you. Soh, Dolly ! good Dolly ! ’ ’ 

But Dolly was anything but good. She 
stood switching her tail, and looking as savage 
as so mild an animal possibly could look. 

“It’s all your doing, you naughty children! 
You have been playing her some trick, I 
know,’’ cried the Gardener, in great wrath. 

They assured him they had done nothing, 
and, indeed, they looked as quiet as mice and 
as innocent as lambs. At length the biggest 
boy pointed out a large wasp which had settled 
in Dolly’s ear. 

“That accounts for everything,’’ said the 
Gardener. 

But it did not mend everything; for when 
he tried to drive it away it kept coming back 
and back again, and buzzing round his own 
head and the cow’s, with a voice that the chil- 
dren thought was less like the buzz of a wasp 
than the sound of a person laughing. At 
length it frightened Dolly to such an extent 
that, with one wild bound she darted right 
away, and galloped off to the farther end of 
the field. 

3 Brownie 


34 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“I’ll get a rope and tie her legs together,’' 
cried the Gardener, fiercely. ‘ ‘ She shall repent 
giving me all this trouble — that she shall!” 

“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed somebody. The 
Gardener thought it was the children, and gave 
one of them an angry cuff as he walked away. 
But they knew it was somebody else, and were 
not at all surprised when, the minute his back 
was turned, Dolly came walking quietly back, 
led by a little wee brown man who scarcely 
reached up to her knees. Yet she let him guide 
her, which he did as gently as possible, though 
the string he held her by was no thicker than 
a spider web, floating from one of her horns. 

“Soh, Dolly! good Dolly!” cried Brownie, 
mimicking the Gardener’s voice. “Now we’ll 
see what we can do. I want my breakfast 
badly — don’t you, little folks?” 

Of course they did, for the morning air made 
them very hungry. 

“Very well — wait a bit, though. Old people 
should be served first, you know. Besides, I 
want to go to bed.” 

Go to bed in the daylight ! The children all 
laughed, and then looked quite shy and sorry, 
lest they might have seemed rude to the little 
Brownie. But he — he liked fun; and never 
took offense when none was meant. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 35 


He placed himself on the milking-stool, which 
was so high that his little legs were dangling 
half-way down, and milked and milked — Dolly 
standing as still as possible — till he had filled 
the whole pail. Most astonishing cow! she 
gave as much as two cows ; and such delicious 
milk as it was — all frothing and yellow — richer 
than even Dolly’s milk had ever been before. 
The children’s mouths watered for it, but not 
a word said they — even when, instead of giv- 
ing it to them, Brownie put his own mouth to 
the pail, and drank, and drank, till it seemed as 
if he were never going to stop. But it was 
decidedly a relief to them when he popped 
his head up again, and lo! the pail was as full 
as ever! 

“Now, little ones, now’s your turn. Where 
are your mugs?’’ 

All answered mournfully, “We’ve got none. 
Gardener made us take them back again. ’ ’ 

“Never mind — all right. Gather me half a 
dozen of the biggest buttercups you can find. 

“What nonsense!’’ thought the children; 
but they did it. Brownie laid the flowers in a 
row upon the eldest girl’s lap — blew upon 
them one by one, and each turned into the most 
beautiful golden cup that ever was seen ! 


36 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“Now, then, every one take his own mug, 
and I’ll fill it.” 

He milked away — each child got a drink, and 
then the cups were filled again. And all the 
while Dolly stood as quiet as possible — looking 
benignly round, as if she would be happy to 
supply milk to the whole parish, if the Brownie 
desired it. 

“Soh, Dolly! Thank you, Dolly !” said he, 
again, mimicking the Gardener’s voice, half 
growling, half coaxing. And while he spoke, 
the real voice was heard behind the hedge. 
There was a sound as of a great wasp flying 
away, which made Dolly prick up her ears, and 
look as if the old savageness was coming back 
upon her. The children snatched up their 
mugs, but there was no need, they had all 
turned into buttercups again. 

Gardener jumped over the stile, as cross as 
two sticks, with an old rope in his hand. 

“Oh, what a bother I’ve had! Breakfast 
ready, and no milk yet — and such a row as they 
are making over those lost ducklings. Stand 
back, you children, and don’t hinder me a 
minute. No use begging — not a drop of milk 
shall you get. Hillo, Dolly? Quiet, old girl!’’ 

Quiet enough she was this time — but you 
might as well have milked a plaster cow in a 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 3? 


London milk-shop. Not one ringing drop 
resounded against the empty pail ; for, when 
they peeped in, the children saw, to their 
amazement, that it w T as empty. 

“The creature’s bewitched!” cried the Gar- 
dener, in a great fury. “Or else somebody has 
milked her dry already. Have you done it? or 
you?” he asked each of the children. 

They might have said No — which was the 
literal truth — but then it would not have been 
the whole truth, for they knew quite well that 
Dolly had been milked, and also who had done 
it. And their mother had always taught 
them that to make a person believe a lie is 
nearly as bad as telling him one. Yet still 
they did not like to betray the kind little 
Brownie. Greatly puzzled, they hung their 
heads and said nothing. 

“Look in your pail again,” cried a voice 
from the other side of Dolly. And there at the 
bottom was just the usual quantity of milk— 
no more and no less. 

The Gardener was very much astonished. 
“It must be the Brownie!” muttered he, in a 
frightened tone ; and, taking off his hat, 
“Thank you, sir,” said he to Mr. Nobody — at 
which the children all burst out laughing. But 


38 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

they kept their own counsel, and he was afraid 
to ask them any more questions. 

By-and-by his fright wore off a little. “I 
only hope the milk is good milk, and will 
poison nobody,” said he, sulkily. ‘‘However, 
that’s not my affair. You children had better 
tell your mother all about it. I left her in the 
farm-yard in a pretty state of mind about her 
ducklings. ” 

Perhaps Brownie heard this, and was sorry, 
for he liked the children’s mother, who had 
always been kind to him. Besides, he never 
did anybody harm who did not deserve it ; and 
though, being a Brownie, he could hardly be 
said to have a conscience, he had something 
which stood in the place of one — a liking to see 
people happy rather than miserable. 

So, instead of going to bed under his big 
coal for the day, when, after breakfast, the 
children and their mother came out to look at 
a new brood of chickens, he crept after them 
and hid behind the hen-coop where the old 
mother-hen was put, with her young ones 
round her. 

There had been great difficulty in getting 
her in there, for she was a hen who hatched 
her brood on independent principles. Instead 
of sitting upon the nice nest that the Gardener 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 39 


made for her, she had twice gone into a little 
wood close by and made a nest for herself, 
which nobody could ever find ; and where she 
hatched in secret, coming every second day to 
be fed, and then vanishing again, till at last 
she re-appeared in triumph, with her chickens 
running after her. The first brood there had 
been twelve, but of this there were fourteen — 
all from her own eggs, of course, and she was 
uncommonly proud of them. So was the 
Gardener, so was the mistress — who liked all 
young things. Such a picture as they were! 
fourteen soft, yellow, fluffy things, running 
about after their mother. It had been a most 
troublesome business to catch — first her, and 
then them, to put them under the coop. The 
old hen resisted, and pecked furiously at Gar- 
dener’s legs, and the chickens ran about in 
frantic terror, chirping wildly in answer to her 
clucking. At last, however, the little family 
was safe in shelter, and the chickens counted 
over, to see that none had been lost in the 
scuffle. How funny they were! looking so 
innocent and yet so wise, as chickens do — peer- 
ing out at the world from under their mother's 
wing, or hopping over her back, or snuggled 
all together under her breast, so that nothing 


40 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

was seen of them but a mass of yellow legs* 
like a great centiped. 

“How happy the old hen is,” said the chil- 
dren’smother,lookingon, and then looking com- 
passionately at that other forlorn old hen, who 
had hatched the ducklings, and kept wander- 
ing about the farm-yard, clucking miserably, 
“Those poor ducklings, what can have become 
of them? If rats had killed them, we should 
have found feathers or something ; and weasels 
would have sucked their brains and left them. 
They must have been stolen, or wandered 
away, and died of cold and hunger — my poor 
ducklings!” 

The mistress sighed, for she could not bear 
any living thing to suffer. And the children 
nearly cried at the thought of what might be 
happening to their pretty ducklings. That 
very minute a little wee brown face peered 
through a hole in the hen-coop, making the 
old mother-hen fly furiously at it — as she did 
at the slightest shadow of an enemy to her 
little ones. However, no harm happened — 
only a guinea-fowl suddenly ran across the 
farm-yard, screaming in its usual harsh voice. 
But it was not the usual sort of guinea-fowl, 
being larger and handsomer than any of 
theirs. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 41 


“Oh, what a beauty of a creature! how did 
it ever come into our farm-yard, ” cried the de- 
lighted children; and started off after it, to 
catch it if possible. 

But they ran, and they ran — through the 
gate and out into the lane ; and the guinea- 
fowl still ran on before them, until, turning 
round a corner, they lost sight of it, and 
immediately saw something else, equally curi- 
ous. Sitting on the top of a big thistle — so big 
that he must have had to climb it just like 
a tree — was the Brownie. His legs were 
crossed, and his arms, too; his little brown cap 
was stuck knowingly on one side, and he was 
laughing heartily. 

“How do you do? Here I am again. I 
thought I wouldn't go to bed after all. Shall 
I help you to find the ducklings? Very well! 
come along. ’ ' 

They crossed the field, Brownie running 
beside them, and as fast as they could, though 
he looked such an old man; and sometimes 
turning over on legs and arms like a Catherine 
wheel — which they tried to imitate, but gen- 
erally failed, and only bruised their fingers 
and noses. 

He lured them on and on till they came to- 
the wood, and to a green path in it, which. 


42 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

-well as they knew the neighborhood, none of 
the children had ever seen before. It led to a 
most beautiful pond, as clear as crystal and as 
blue as the sky. Large trees grew round it, 
dipping their branches in the water, as if they 
were looking at themselves in a glass. And 
all about their roots were quantities of prim- 
roses — the biggest primroses the little girls 
"had ever seen. Down they dropped on their 
fat knees, squashing down more primroses 
than they gathered, though they tried to gather 
them all ; and the smallest child even began 
to cry because her hands were so full that the 
flowers dropped through her fingers. But the 
boys, older and more practical, rather despised 
primroses. 

“I thought we had come to look for duck- 
lings?” said the eldest. “Mother is fretting 
dreadfully about her ducklings. Where can 
they be?” 

“Shut your eyes, and you’ll see,” said the 
Brownie, at which they all laughed, but did it; 
and when they opened their eyes again, what 
should they behold but a whole fleet of duck- 
lings sailing out from the roots of an old wil- 
low-tree, one after the other, looking as fat 
and content as possible, and swimming as 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 43 

naturally as if they had lived on a pond — and 
this particular pond, all their days. 

“Count them,” said the Brownie, “the whole 
eight — quite correct. And then try and catch 
them — if you can.” 

Easier said than done. The boys set to 
work with great satisfaction — boys do so enjoy 
hunting something. They coaxed them — they 
shouted at them— they threw little sticks at 
them ; but as soon as they wanted them to go 
one way the fleet of ducklings immediately 
turned round and sailed another way, doing it 
so deliberately and majestically, that the chil- 
dren could not help laughing. As for little 
Brownie, he sat on a branch of the willow-tree, 
with his legs dangling down to the surface of 
the pond, kicking at the water-spiders, and 
grinning with all his might. At length, quite 
tired out, in spite of their fun, the children 
begged for his help, and he took compassion on 
them. 

“Turn round three times and see what you 
can find,” shouted he. 

Immediately each little boy found in his arms, 
and each little girl in her pinafore, a fine fat 
duckling. And there being eight of them, the 
two elder children had each a couple. They were 
rather cold and damp, and slightly uncom- 


44 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


fortable to cuddle, ducks not being used to 
cuddling. Poor things! they struggled hard to 
get away. But the children hugged them 
tight, and ran as fast as their legs could carry 
them through the wood, forgetting, in their 
joy, even to say “Thank you” to the little 
Brownie. 

When they reached their mother she was as 
glad as they, for she never thought to see her 
ducklings again; and to have them back all 
alive and uninjured, and watch them running 
to the old hen, who received them with an 
ecstasy of delight, was so exciting, that nobody 
thought of asking a single question as to where 
they had been found. 

When the mother did ask, the children told 
her all about Brownie’s taking them to the 
beautiful pond — and what a wonderful pond it 
was ; how green the trees were round it ; and 
how large the primroses grew. They never 
tired of talking about it and seeking for it. 
But the odd thing was that, seek as they might, 
they never could find it again. Many a day did 
the little people roam about one by one, or all 
together, round the wood, and across the wood, 
and up and down the wood, often getting 
themselves sadly draggled with mud and torn 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 45 


with brambles — but the beautiful pond they 
never found again. 

Nor did the ducklings, I suppose; for they 
wandered no more from the farm-yard, to the 
old mother-hen’s great content. They grew 
up into fat and respectable ducks — five white 
ones and three gray ones — waddling about, 
very content, though they never saw water, 
except the tank which was placed fo t them to 
paddle in. They lived a lazy, peaceful, pleas- 
ant life for a long time, and were at last killed 
and eaten with green peas, one after the other, 
to the family’s great satisfaction, if not to their 
own. 


46 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE* 


ADVENTURE THE FOURTH. 
brownie’s ride. 

For the little Brownie, though not given to 
horsemanship, did once take a ride, and a 
very remarkable one it was. Shall I tell you 
all about it? 

The six little children got a present of some- 
thing they had longed for all their lives — a 
pony. Not a rocking-horse, but a real live 
pony — a Shetland pony, too, which had trav- 
eled all the way from the Shetland Isles to 
Devonshire — where everybody wondered at it, 
for such a creature had not been seen in the 
neighborhood for years and years. She was 
no bigger than a donkey, and her coat, instead 
of being smooth like a horse, was shaggy like 
a young bear’s. She had a long tail, which 
had never been cut, and such a deal of hair in 
her mane and over her eyes that it gave her 
quite a fierce countenance. In fact, among the 
mild and tame Devonshire beasts, the little 
Shetland pony looked almost like a wild ani- 
mal. But in reality she was the gentlest crea- 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 4T 


ture in the world. Before she had been many 
days with them, she began to know the chil- 
dren quite well ; followed them about, ate corn 
out of the bowl they held out to her; nay, one 
day, when the eldest little girl offered her 
bread-and-butter, she stooped her head and 
took it from the child’s hand, just like a young 
lady. Indeed, Jess — that was her name — was 
altogether so lady-like in her behavior, that 
more than once Cook allowed her to walk in at 
the back door, when she stood politely warm- 
ing her nose at the kitchen fire for a minute or 
two, then turned round and as politely walked 
out again. But she never did any mischief ; 
and was so quiet and gentle a creature that she 
bade fair soon to become as great a pet in the 
household as the dog, the cat, the kittens, the 
puppies, the fowls, the ducks, the cow, the pig, 
and all the other members of the family. 

The only one who disliked her, and grumbled 
at her, was the Gardener. This was odd; 
because, though cross to children, the old man 
was kind to dumb beasts. Even his pig knew 
his voice and grunted, and held out his nose to 
be scratched ; and he always gave each succes- 
sive pig a name, Jack or Dick, and called them 
by it, and was quite affectionate to them, one 
after the other, until the very day that they 


48 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


were killed. But they were English pigs — and 
the pony was Scotch — and the Devonshire 
Gardener hated everything Scotch, he said; 
besides, he was not used to groom’s work, and 
the pony required such a deal of grooming on 
account of her long hair. More than once Gar- 
dener threatened to clip it short, and turn her 
into a regular English pony but the children 
were in such distress at this that the mistress 
and mother forbade any such spoiling of 
Jessie’s personal appearance. 

At length, to keep things smooth, and to 
avoid the rough words and even blows which 
poor Jess sometimes got, they sought in the 
village for a boy to look after her, and found a 
great rough, shock-headed lad named Bill, who, 
for a few shillings a week, consented to come 
up every morning and learn the beginning of 
a groom’s business; hoping to end, as his 
mother said he should, in sitting, like the 
squire’s fat coachman, as broad as he was long, 
on the top of the hammer-cloth of a grand car- 
riage, and do nothing all day but drive a pair 
of horses as stout as himself a few miles along 
the road and back again. 

Bill would have liked this very much, he 
thought, if he could have been a coachman all 
at once, for if there was one thing he disliked. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 49 


it was work. He much preferred to lie in the 
sun all day and do nothing ; and he only agreed 
to come and take care of Jess because she was 
such a very little pony, that looking after her 
seemed next door to doing nothing. But when 
he tried it, he found his mistake. True, Jess was 
a very gentle beast; so quiet that the old 
mother-hen with fourteen chicks used, instead 
of roosting with the rest of the fowls, to come 
regularly into the portion of the cow-shed which 
was partitioned off for a stable, and settle 
under a corner of Jess’ manger for the night; 
and in the morning the chicks would be seen 
running about fearlessly among her feet and 
under her very nose. 

But, for all that, she required a little man- 
agement, for she did not like her long hair to 
be roughly handled; it took a long time to 
clean her; and, though she did not scream out 
like some silly little children when her hair 
was combed, I am afraid she sometimes kicked 
and bounced about, giving Bill a deal of trouble 
— all the more trouble, the more impatient 
Bill was. 

And then he had to keep within call, for 
the children wanted their pony at all hours. 
She was their own especial property, and they 
insisted upon learning to ride — even before 

4 Brownie 


50 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


they got a saddle. Hard work it was to stick 
on Jess’ bare back, but by degrees the boys 
did it, turn and turn about, and even gave their 
sisters a turn too — a very little one — just once 
round the field and back again, which was quite 
enough, they considered, for girls. But they 
were very kind to their little sisters, held them 
on so that they could not fall, and led Jess 
carefully and quietly; and altogether behaved 
as elder brothers should. 

Nor did they squabble very much among 
themselves, though sometimes it was rather 
difficult to keep their turns all fair, and remem- 
ber accurately which was which. But they 
did their best, being, on the whole, extremely 
good children. And they were so happy to 
have their pony, that they would have been 
ashamed to quarrel over her. 

Also, one very curious thing kept them on 
their good behavior. Whenever they did begin 
to misconduct themselves — to want to ride out 
of their turns, or to domineer over one another, 
or the boys, joining together, tried to domineer 
over the girls, as I grieve to say boys not sel- 
dom do — they used to hear in the air, right 
over their heads, the crack of an unseen whip. 
It was none of theirs, for they had not got a 
whip; that was a felicity which their father 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 51 

had promised when they could all ride like 
young gentlemen and ladies; but there was no 
mistaking the sound — indeed, it always startled 
Jess so that she set off galloping, and could not 
be caught again for many minutes. 

This happened several times, until one of 
them said, “Perhaps it’s the Brownie.” 
Whether it was or not, it made them behave 
better for a good while; till one unfortunate 
day the two eldest began contending which 
should ride foremost and which hindmost on 
Jess’ back, when “Crick — crack!” went the 
whip in the air, frightening the pony so much 
that she kicked up her heels, tossed both the 
boys over her head, and scampered off, fol- 
lowed by a loud “Ha, ha, ha!” 

It certainly did not come from the two boys, 
who had fallen — quite safely, but rather un- 
pleasantly — into a large nettle-bed; whence 
they crawled out, rubbing their arms and legs, 
and looking too much ashamed to complain. 
But they were rather frightened and a little 
cross, for Jess took a skittish fit, and refused 
to be caught and mounted again, till the bell 
rang for school — when she grew as meek as 
possible. Too late — for the children were 
obliged to run indoors, and got no more rides 
for the whole day. 


52 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

Jess was from this incident supposed to be 
on the same friendly terms with Brownie as 
were the rest of the household. Indeed, when 
she came, the children had taken care to lead 
her up to the coal-cellar door and introduce 
her properly — for they knew Brownie was very 
jealous of strangers, and often played them 
tricks. But after that piece of civility he 
would be sure, they thought, to take her under 
his protection. And sometimes, when the 
little Shetlander was restless and pricked up 
her ears, looking preternaturally wise under 
those shaggy brows of hers, the children used 
to say to one another, “Perhaps she sees the 
Brownie. “ 

Whether she did or not, Jess sometimes 
seemed to see a good deal that others did not 
see, and was apparently a favorite with the 
Brownie, for she grew and thrived so much 
that she soon became the pride and delight of 
the children and of the whole family. You 
would hardly have known her for the rough, 
shaggy, half-starved little beast that had 
arrived a few weeks before. Her coat was so 
silky, her limbs so graceful, and her head so 
full of intelligence, that everybody admired 
her. Then, even Gardener began to admire 
her, too. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 53 


“I think I’ll get upon her back; it will save 
me walking down to the village,” said he, one 
day. And she actually carried him — though, 
as his feet nearly touched the ground, it looked 
as if the man were carrying the pony, and not 
the pony the man. And the children laughed 
so immoderately, that he never tried it after- 
ward. 

Nor Bill neither, though he had once thought 
he should like a ride, and got astride on Jess; 
but she quickly ducked her head down, and he 
tumbled over it. Evidently she had her own 
tastes as to her riders, and much preferred 
little people to big ones. 

Pretty Jess! when cantering round the pad- 
dock with the young folk, she really was quite 
a picture. And when at last she got a saddle 
. — a new, beautiful saddle, with a pommel to 
take off and on, so as to suit both boys and 
girls — how proud they all were, Jess included! 
That day they were allowed to take her into 
the market-town — Gardener leading her, as 
Bill could not be trusted — and everybody even 
the blacksmith, who hoped by-and-by to have 
the pleasure of shoeing her, said, what a beau- 
tiful pony she was! 

After this, Gardener treated Jess a great deal 
better, and showed Bill how to groom her, and 


54 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


kept him close at it, too, which Bill did not like 
at all. He was a very lazy lad, and whenever 
he could shirk work he did it ; and many a time 
when the children wanted Jess, either there 
was nobody to saddle her, or she had not been 
properly groomed, or Bill was away at his 
dinner, and they had to wait till he came back 
and could put her in order to be taken out for 
a ride like a genteel animal — which I am afraid 
neither pony nor children enjoyed half so much 
as the old ways before Bill came. 

Still, they were gradually becoming excel- 
lent little horsemen and horsewomen — even 
’ the youngest, only four years old, whom all 
the rest were very tender over, and who was 
often held on Jess’ back and given a ride out 
of her turn because she was a good little girl, 
and never cried for it. And seldomer and sel- 
domer was heard the mysterious sound of the 
whip in the air, which warned them of quar- 
reling — Brownie hated quarreling. 

In fact, their only trouble was Bill, who 
never came to his work in time, and never did 
things when wanted, and was ill-natured, lazy, 
and cross to the children, so that they disliked 
him very much. 

“I wish the Brownie would punish you,” said 
one of the boys; ‘‘you’d behave better then.” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 55 


“The Brownie!" cried Bill, contemptuously; 
*‘if I caught him, I’d kick him up in the air 
like this!" 

And he kicked up his cap — his only cap, it 
was — which, strange to relate, flew right up, 
ever so high, and lodged at the very top of a 
tree which overhung the stable, where it 
dangled for weeks and weeks, during which 
time poor Bill had to go bareheaded. 

He was very much vexed, and revenged him- 
self by vexing the children in all sorts of ways. 
They would have told their mother, and asked 
her to send Bill away, only she had a great 
many anxieties just then, for their dear old 
grandmother was very ill, and they did not like 
to make a fuss about anything that would 
trouble her. 

So Bill staid on, and nobody found out what 
a bad, ill-natured, lazy boy he was. 

But one day the mother was sent for sud- 
denly, not knowing when she should be able to 
come home again. She was very sad, and so 
were the children, for they loved their grand- 
mother — and as the carriage drove off they all 
stood crying round the front-door for ever so 
long. 

The servants even cried too — all but Bill. 

“It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good," 


56 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


said he. “What a jolly time I shall have! 
I’ll do nothing all day long. Those trouble- 
some children shan’t have Jess to ride; I’ll 
keep her in the stable, and then she won’t get 
dirty, and I shall have no trouble in cleaning 
her. Hurrah! what fun!’’ 

He put his hands in his pockets, and sat 
whistling the best part of the afternoon. 

The children had been so unhappy, that for 
that day they quite forgot Jess; but next morn- 
ing, after lessons were over, they came beg- 
ging for a ride. 

“You can’t get one. The stable-door’s 
locked, and I’ve lost the key.’’ (He had it in 
his pocket all the time. ) 

“How is poor Jess to get her dinner?’’ cried 
a thoughtful little girl. “Oh, how hungry she 
will be!” 

And the child was quite in distress, as were 
the two other girls. But the boys were more 
angry than sorry. 

“It was very stupid of you. Bill, to lose the 
key. Look about and find it, or else break 
open the door. ’ ’ 

“I won’t,” said Bill; “I dare say the key 
will turn up before night, and if it doesn’t, 
who cares? You get riding enough and too 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 57 


much. I’ll not bother myself about it, or Jess 
either. ’ ’ 

And Bill sauntered away. He was a big 
fellow, and the little lads were rather afraid of 
him. But as he walked, he could not keep his 
hand out of his trousers-pocket, where the 
key felt growing heavier and heavier, till he 
expected it every minute to tumble through 
and come out at his boots — convicting him 
before all the children of having told a lie. 

Nobody was in the habit of telling lies to 
them, so they never suspected him, but went 
innocently searching about for the key — Bill 
all the while clutching it fast. But every time 
he touched it, he felt his fingers pinched, as if 
there was a cockroach in his pocket — or a 
little lobster — or something, anyhow, that 
had claws. At last, fairly frightened, he made 
an excuse to go into the cow-shed, took the 
key out of his pocket and ^looked at it, and 
finally hid it in a corner of the manger, among 
the hay. 

As he did so, he heard a most extraordinary 
laugh, which was certainly not from Dolly the 
cow, and, as he went out of the shed, he felt 
the same sort of pinch at his ankles, which 
made him so angry that he kept striking with 


.58 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

his whip in all directions, but hit nobody, for 
nobody was there. 

But Jess — who, as soon as she heard the 
children’s voices, had set up a most melan- 
choly whinnying behind the locked stable-door 
— began to neigh energetically. And Boxer 
barked, and the hens cackled, and the guinea- 
fowls cried “Come back, come back!” in their 
usual insane fashion — indeed, the whole farm- 
yard seemed in such an excited state, that the 
children got frightened lest Gardener should 
scold them, and ran away, leaving Bill master 
of the field. 

What an idle day he had ! How he sat on the 
wall with his hands in his pockets, and lounged 
upon the fence, and sauntered round the gar- 
den! At length, absolutely tired of doing 
nothing, he went and talked with the Gar- 
dener’s wife while she was hanging out her 
clothes. Gardener had gone down to the 
lower field, with all the little folks after him, 
so that he knew nothing of Bill’s idling, or 
it might have come to an end. 

By-and-by Bill thought it was time to go 
home to his supper. “But first I’ll give Jess 
her corn,’’ said he, “double quantity, and then 
I need not come back to give her her breakfast 
so early in the morning. Soh! you greedy 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 59 

beast! I’ll be at you presently, if you don’t 
stop that noise.” 

For Jess, at the sound of his footsteps, was 
heard to whinny in the most imploring man- 
ner, enough to have melted a heart of stone. 

‘‘The key — where on earth did I put the 
key?” cried Bill, whose constant habit it was 
to lay things out of his hand and then forget 
where he had put them, causing himself 
endless loss of time in searching for them — 
as now. At last he suddenly remembered the 
corner of the cow’s manger, where he felt sure 
he had left it. But the key was not there. 

“You can’t have eaten it, you silly old cow,” 
said he, striking Dolly on the nose as she 
rubbed herself against him — she was an affec- 
tionate beast. “Nor you, you stupid old hen!” 
kicking the mother of the brood, who, with her 
fourteen chicks, being shut out of their usual 
roosting-place — Jess’ 'stable — kept pecking 
about under Dolly’s legs. “It can’t have gone 
without hands — of course it can’t.” But most 
certainly the key was gone. 

What in the world should Bill do? Jess kept 
on making a pitiful complaining. No wonder, 
as she had not tasted food since morning. It 
would have made any kind-hearted person 


60 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


quite sad to hear her, thinking how exceed- 
ingly hungry the poor pony must be. 

Little did Bill care for that, or for anything, 
except that he should be sure to get into 
trouble as soon as he was found out. When 
he heard Gardener coming into the farm-yard, 
with the children after him, Bill bolted over 
the wall like a flash of lightning, and ran away 
home, leaving poor Jess to her fate. 

All the way he seemed to hear at his heels a 
little dog yelping, and then a swarm of gnats 
buzzing round his head, and altogether was so 
perplexed and bewildered, that when he got 
into his mother’s cottage he escaped into bed, 
and pulled the blanket over his ears to shut 
out the noise of the dog and the gnats, which 
at last turned into a sound like somebody laugh- 
ing. It was not his mother, she didn’t often 
laugh, poor soul! — Bill bothered her quite too 
much for that, and he knew it. Dreadfully 
frightened, he hid his head under the bed- 
clothes, determined to go to sleep and think 
about nothing till next day. 

Meantime Gardener returned, with all the 
little people trooping after him. He had been 
rather kinder to them than usual this day, 
because he knew their mother had gone away 
in trouble, and now he let them help him to 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 61 

roll the gravel, and fetch up Dolly to be 
milked, and watch him milk her in the cow 
shed — where, it being nearly winter, she 
always spent the night now. They were so 
well amused that they forgot all about their 
disappointment as to the ride, and Jess did 
not remind them of it by her whinnying. For 
as soon as Bill was gone she grew quite silent. 

At last one little girl, the one who had cried 
over Jess’ being left hungry, remembered the 
poor pony, and, peeping through a crevice in 
the cow-shed, saw her stand contentedly 
munching at a large bowlful of corn. 

“So Bill did find the key. I’m very glad,” 
thought the kind little maiden, and to make 
sure looked again, when — what do you think 
she beheld squatting on the manger? Some- 
thing brown — either a large brown rat, or a 
small brown man. But she held her tongue, 
since, being a very little girl, people some- 
times laughed at her for the strange things she 
saw. She was quite certain she did see them, 
for all that. 

So she and the rest of the children went 
indoors and to bed. When they were fast 
asleep, something happened. Something so 
curious, that the youngest boy, who, thinking 
lie heard Jess neighing, got up to look out, 


62 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


was afraid to tell, lest he, too, should be laughed 
at, and went back to bed immediately. 

In the middle of the night, a little old brown 
man carrying a lantern, or at least having a 
light in his hand that looked like a lantern — 
went and unlocked Jess’ stable, and patted 
her pretty head. At first she started, but soon 
she grew quiet and pleased, and let him do- 
what he chose with her. He began rubbing 
her down, making the same funny hissing 
with his mouth that Bill did, and all grooms 
do — I never could find out why. But Jess 
evidently liked it, and stood as good as pos- 
sible. 

“Isn’t it nice to be clean?” said the wee 
man, talking to her as if she were a human 
being, or a Brownie. “And I dare say your 
poor little legs ache with standing still so 
long. Shall we have a run together? The 
moon shines bright in the clear, cold night. 
Dear me! I’m talking poetry.” 

But Brownies are not poetical fairies, quite 
commonplace, and up to all sorts of work. So 
while he talked, he was saddling and bridling 
Jess, she not objecting in the least. Finally, 
he jumped on her back. 

“‘Off, said the stranger — off, off, and 
away!’ ” sang Brownie, mimicking a song of 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 6S 


the Cook’s. People in that house often heard 
their songs repeated in the oddest way, from 
room to room, everybody fancying it was 
somebody else that did it. But it was only the 
Brownie. “Now, ‘A southerly wind and a 
cloudy sky proclaim it a hunting morning!’ ” 

Or night — for it was the middle of the night, 
though bright as day — and Jess galloped and 
the Brownie sat on her back as merrily as if 
they had gone hunting together all their days. 

Such a steeple-chase it was! They cleared 
the farm-yard at a single bound, and went 
flying down the road, and across the ploughed 
field, and into the wood. Then out into the 
open country, and by-and-by into a dark, 
muddy lane — and oh ! how muddy Devonshire 
lanes can be sometimes! 

“Let’s go into the water to wash ourselves,” 
said Brownie, and coaxed Jess into a deep 
stream, which she swam as bravely as possible 
— she had not had such a frolic since she left 
her native Shetland Isles. Up the bank she 
scrambled, her long hair dripping as if she 
had been a water-dog instead of a pony. 
Brownie, too, shook himself like a rat or a 
beaver, throwing a shower round him in all 
directions. 

“Never mind; at it again, my lass!” and he 


64 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


urged Jess into the water once more. Out 
she came, wetter and brisker than ever, and 
went back home through the lane, and the 
wood, and the ploughed field, galloping like 
the wind, and tossing back her ears and mane 
and tail, perfectly frantic with enjoyment. 

But when she reached her stable, the plight 
she was in would have driven any respectable 
groom frantic, too. Her sides were white with 
foam, and the mud was sticking all over her 
like a plaster. As for her beautiful long hair, 
it was all caked together in a tangle, as if all 
the combs in the world would never make it 
smooth again. Her mane especially was 
plaited into knots, which people in Devonshire 
call elf-locks, and say, when they find them 
on their horses, that it is because the fairies 
have been riding them. 

Certainly, poor Jess had been pretty well 
ridden that night! When, just as the dawn 
began to break, Gardener got up and looked 
into the farm-yard, his sharp eye caught sight 
of the stable-door, wide open. 

“Well done, Bill,” shouted he, “up early at 
last. One hour before breakfast is worth 
three after. ’ ' 

But no Bill was there; only Jess, trembling 
and shaking, all in a foam, and muddy from 





“ Bill bolted over the wall like lightning.”— Page 60. 

Adventures of a Brownie. 






THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 65 


head to foot, but looking perfectly cheerful in 
her mind. And out from under her fore legs 
ran a small creature, which Gardener mistook 
for Tiny, only Tiny was gray, and this dog 
was brown, of course ! 

I should not like to tell you all that was said 
to Bill when, an hour after breakfast- time, he 
came skulking up to the farm. In fact, words 
failing, Gardener took a good stick and laid 
it about Bill’s shoulders, saying he would 
either do this, or tell the mistress of him, and 
how he had left the stable-door open all night, 
and some bad fellow had stolen Jess, and gal- 
loped her all across the country, till, if she 
hadn’t been the cleverest pony in the world, 
she never could have got back again. 

Bill durst not contradict this explanation of 
the story, especially as the key was found hang- 
ing up in its proper place by the kitchen door. 
And when he went to fetch it, he heard the most 
extraordinary sound in the coal-cellar close by 
— like somebody snoring or laughing. Bill took 
to his heels, and did not come back for a whole 
hour. 

But when he did come back, he made him- 
self as busy as possible. He cleaned Jess, 
which was half a day’s work at least. Then 
he took the little people a ride, and afterward 

5 Brownie 


66 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

put his stable in the most beautiful order, and 
altogether was such a changed Bill, that Gar- 
dener told him he must have left himself at 
home and brought back somebody else : 
whether or not, the boy certainly improved, 
so that there was less occasion to find fault 
with him afterward. 

Jess lived to be quite an old pony, and 
carried a great many people — little people 
always, for she herself never grew any bigger. 
But I don’t think she ever carried a Brownie 
again. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 6T 


ADVENTURE THE FIFTH. 

BROWNIE ON THE ICE. 

Winter was a grand time with the six little 
children, especially when they had frost and 
snow. This happened seldom enough for it to 
be the greatest possible treat when it did hap- 
pen; and it never lasted very long, for the 
winters are warm in Devonshire. 

There was a little lake three fields off, which 
made the most splendid sliding- place imagin- 
able. No skaters went near it — it was not 
large enough ; and besides, there was nobody 
to skate, the neighborhood being lonely. The 
lake itself looked the loneliest place imaginable. 
It was not very deep — not deep enough to 
drown a man — but it had a gravelly bottom, 
and was always very clear. Also, the trees 
round it grew so thick that they sheltered it 
completely from the wind; so, when it did 
freeze, it generally froze as smooth as a sheet 
of glass. 

“The lake bears!” was such a grand event, 
and so rare, that when it did occur, the news 


68 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


came at once to the farm, and the children 
carried it as quickly to their mother. For she 
had promised them that, if such a thing did 
happen this year — it did not happen every 
year — lessons should be stopped entirely, and 
they should all go down to the lake and slide, 
if they liked, all day long. 

So one morning, just before Christmas, the 
eldest boy ran in with a countenance of great 
delight. 

“Mother, mother, the lake bears!” (It was 
rather a compliment to call it a lake, it being 
only about twenty yards across and forty long.) 
“The lake really bears!” 

“Who says so?” 

“Bill. Bill has been on it for an hour this 
morning, and has made us two such beautiful 
slides, he says — an up-slide and a down-slide. 
May we go to them directly?” 

The mother hesitated. 

“You promised, you know,” pleaded the 
children. 

“Very well, then; only be careful.” 

“And may we slide all day long, and never 
come home for dinner or anything?” 

“Yes, if you like. Only Gardener must go 
with you, and stay all day.” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 69 

This they did not like at all; nor, when 
Gardener was spoken to, did he. 

“You bothering children! I wish you may 
all get a good ducking in the lake ! Serve you 
right for making me lose a day’s work, just to 
look after you little monkeys. I’ve a great 
mind to tell your mother I won’t do it.” 

But he did not, being fond of his mistress. 
He was also fond of his work, but he had no 
notion of play. I think the saying of “All 
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,’’ 
must have been applied to him, for Gardener, 
whatever he had been as a boy, was certainly 
a dull and melancholy man. The children used 
to say that if he and idle Bill could have been 
kneaded into one, and baked in the oven — a 
very warm oven — they would have come out 
rather a pleasant person. 

As it was, Gardener was anything but a 
pleasant person ; above all, to spend a long 
day with, and on the ice, where one needs all 
one’s cheerfulness and good-humor to bear 
pinched fingers and numbed toes and trips and 
tumbles, and various uncomfortablenesses. 

“He’ll growl at us all day long — he’ll be a. 
regular spoil-sport!’’ lamented the children. 
“Oh! mother, mightn’t we go alone?’’ 

“No!” said the mother; and her “No’* 


•70 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


meant no, though she was always very kind. 
They argued the point no more, but started 
off, rather downhearted. But soon they re- 
gained their spirits, for it was a bright, clear, 
frosty day — the sun shining, though not enough 
to melt the ice, and just sufficient to lie like a 
thin sprinkling over the grass, and turn the 
brown branches into white ones. The little 
people danced along to keep themselves warm, 
carrying between them a basket which held 
their lunch. A very harmless lunch it was — 
just a large brown loaf and a lump of cheese, 
and a knife to cut it with. Tossing the basket 
about in their fun, they managed to tumble 
the knife out, and were having a search for it 
in the long grass, when Gardener came up, 
grumpily enough. 

“To think of trusting you children with one 
of the table-knives and a basket! what a fool 
Cook must be! I’ll tell her so; and if they’re 
lost she’ll blame me; give me the things.” 

He put the knife angrily in one pocket. 
“Perhaps it will cut a hole in it,” said one of 
the children, in rather a pleased tone than 
otherwise ; then he turned the lunch all out on 
the grass and crammed it in the other pocket, 
hiding the basket behind a hedge. 

“I’m sure I’ll not be at the trouble of carry- 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 71 


ing it,” said he, when the children cried out at 
this; “and you sha’n’t carry it either, for 
you’ll knock it about and spoil it. And as for 
your lunch getting warm in my pocket, why, so 
much the better this cold day.” 

It was not a lively joke, and they knew his 
pocket was very dirty; indeed, the little girls 
had seen him stuff a dead rat into it only the 
day before. They looked ready to cry; but 
there was no help for them, except going back 
and complaining to their mother, and they did 
not like to do that. Besides, they knew that, 
though Gardener was cross, he was trust- 
worthy, and she would never let them go down 
to the lake without him. 

So they followed him, trying to be as good 
as they could — though it was difficult work. 
One of them proposed pelting him with snow- 
balls, as they pelted each other. But at the 
first — which fell in his neck — he turned round 
so furiously, that they never sent a second, but 
walked behind him as meek as mice. 

As they went, they heard little steps patter- 
ing after them. 

“Perhaps it is the Brownie coming to play 
With us — I wish he would,” whispered the 
youngest girl to the eldest boy, whose hand 
she generally held ; and then the little patter- 


72 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


in g steps sounded again, traveling through the 
snow, but they saw nobody — so they said 
nothing. 

The children would have liked to go straight 
to the ice; but Gardener insisted on taking 
them a mile round, to look at an extraordinary 
animal which a farmer there had just got — 
sent by his brother in Australia. The two old 
men stood gossiping so long that the children 
wearied extremely. Every minute seemed an 
hour till they got on the ice. 

At last one of them pulled Gardener’s coat- 
tails, and whispered that they were quite ready 
to go. 

“Then I’m not,” and he waited ever so 
much longer, and got a drink of hot cider, 
which made him quite lively for a little while. 

But by the time they reached the lake, he 
was as cross as ever. He struck the ice with 
his stick, but made no attempt to see if it 
really did bear — though he would not allow 
the children to go one step upon it till he had 
tried. 

“I know it doesn’t bear, and you’ll just have 
to go home again — a good thing, too — saves 
me from losing a day’s work.” 

“Try, only try; Bill said it bore,’’ implored 
the boys, and looked wistfully at the two beau- 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 73’ 


{if ul slides — just as Bill said, one up and one 
down — stretching all across the lake; “of 
course, it bears, or Bill could not have made 
these slides.” 

“Bill’s an ass!” said the Gardener, and put 
his heavy foot cautiously on the ice. Just 
then there was seen jumping across it a crea- 
ture which certainly had never been seen on 
ice before. It made the most extraordinary 
bounds on its long hind legs, with its little 
fore legs tucked up in front of it as if it wanted 
to carry a muff ; and its long, stiff tail sticking 
out straight behind, to balance itself with, 
apparently. The children at first started with 
surprise, and then burst out laughing, for it 
was the funniest creature, and had the funniest 
way of getting along, that they had ever seen 
in their lives. 

“It’s the kangaroo!” cried Gardener, in 
great excitement. “It has got loose — and it’s 
sure to be lost — and what a way Mr. Giles will 
be in! I must go and tell him. Or stop, I’ll 
try and catch it. ’ ’ 

But in vain — it darted once or twice across 
the ice, dodging him, as it were; and once 
coming so close that he nearly caught it by 
the tail — to the children’s great delight— then 
it vanished entirely. 


74 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“I must go and tell Mr. Giles directly/' said 
Gardener, and then stopped. For he had 
promised not to leave the children ; and it was 
such a wild-goose chase, after an escaped kan- 
garoo. But he might get half a crown as a 
reward, and he was sure of another glass of 
^cider. 

“You just stop quiet here, and I'll be back 
in five minutes,” said he to the children. 
“You may go a little way on the ice — I think 
it’s sound enough; only mind you don’t tum- 
ble in, for there’ll be nobody to pull you out.” 

“Oh, no,” said the children, clapping their 
hands. They did not care for tumbling in, 
and were quite glad there was nobody there to 
pull them out. They hoped Gardener would 
stop a very long time away — only, as some one 
suggested when he was seen hurrying across 
the snowy field, he had taken away their lunch 
in his pocket, too. 

“Never mind — we’re not hungry yet. Now 
for a slide. ” 

Off they darted, the three elder boys, with 
a good run; the biggest of the girls followed 
after them; and soon the whole four were 
skimming one after the other, as fast as a rail- 
way train, across the slippery ice. And, like a 
railway train, they had a collision, and all 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 75 


came tumbling one over the other, with great 
screaming and laughter, to the high bank on 
the other side. The two younger ones stood 
mournfully watching the others from the oppo- 
site bank — when there stood beside them a 
small brown man. 

“Ho-ho! little people,” said he, coming be- 
tween them and taking hold of a hand of each. 
His was so warm and theirs so cold, that it 
was quite comfortable. And then, somehow, 
they found in their open mouths a nice lozenge 
— I think it was peppermint, but am not sure ; 
which comforted them still more. 

“Did you want me to play with you?” cried 
the Brownie; “then here I am! What shall 
we do? Have a turn on the ice together?” 

No sooner said than done. The two little 
children felt themselves floating along — it was 
more like floating than running — with Brownie 
between them; up the lake, and down the 
lake, and across the lake, not at all interfering 
with the sliders — indeed, it was a great deal 
better than sliding. Rosy and breathless, their 
toes so nice and warm, and their hands feeling 
like mince-pies just taken out of the oven — the 
little ones came to a stand-still. 

The elder ones stopped their sliding, and 
looked toward Brownie with entreating eyes. 


76 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


He swung himself up to a willow bough, and 
then turned head over heels on to the ice. 

“Halloo! you don’t mean to say you big ones 
want a race, too! Well, come along — if the 
two eldest will give a slide to the little ones. ” 

He watched them take a tiny sister between 
them, and slide her up one slide and down 
another, screaming with delight. Then he 
took the two middle children in either hand. 

“One, two, three, and away!” Off they 
started — scudding along as light as feathers and 
as fast as steam-engines, over the smooth, black 
ice, so clear that they could see the bits of stick 
and water-grasses frozen in it, and even the 
little fishes swimming far down below — if they 
had only looked long enough. 

When all had had their fair turns, they began 
to be frightfully hungry. 

“Catch a fish for dinner, and I’ll lend you 
a hook,” said Brownie. At which they all 
laughed, and then looked rather grave. Pull- 
ing a cold, raw, live fish from under the ice 
and eating it was not a pleasant idea of dinner. 
“Well, what would you like to have? Let the 
littl ne choose.” 

Sh'- srid, after thinking a minute, that she 
should like a currant- cake. 

“And I’d give you all a bit of it — a very 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 7? 

large bit — I would indeed!*’ added she, almost 
with the tears in her eyes — she was so very 
hungry. 

“Do it, then!” said the Brownie, in his little 
squeaking voice. 

Immediately the stone that the little girl 
was sitting on — a round, hard stone, and so 
cold ! — turned into a nice hot cake — so hot that 
she jumped up directly. As soon as she saw 
what it was, she clapped her hands for joy. 

“Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful cake! only 
we haven’t got a knife to cut it.’’ 

The boys felt in all their pockets, but some- 
how their knives never were there when they 
were wanted. 

“Look! you’ve got one in your hand!’’ said 
Brownie to the little one ; and that minute a 
bit of stick she held turned into a bread-knife 
— silver, with an ivory handle — big enough and 
sharp enough, without being too sharp. For 
the youngest girl was not allowed to use sharp 
knives, though she liked cutting things exces- 
sively, especially cakes. 

“That will do. Sit you down and carve the 
dinner. Fair shares, and don’t let anybody 
eat too much. Now begin, ma’am,’’ said 
the Brownie, quite politely, as if he had been 
ever so old. 


78 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Oh, how proud the little girl was! How 
bravely she set to work, and cut five of the 
biggest slices you ever saw, and gave them to 
her brothers and sisters, and was just going 
to take the sixth slice for herself, when she 
remembered the Brownie. 

“I beg your pardon,” said she, as politely 
as he, though she was such a very little girl, 
and turned round to the wee brown man. But 
he was nowhere to be seen. The slices of 
cake in the children’s hands remained cake, 
and uncommonly good it was, and such sub- 
stantial eating that it did nearly the same as 
dinner; but the cake itself turned suddenly 
to a stone again, and the knife into a bit of 
stick. 

For there was the Gardener coming clump- 
ing along by the bank of the lake, and growl- 
ing as he went. 

“Have you got the kangaroo?” shouted the 
children, determined to be civil, if possible. 

“This place is bewitched, I think,” said he. 
“The kangaroo was fast asleep in the cow-shed. 
What! how dare you laugh at me?” 

But they hadn’t laughed at all. And they 
found it no laughing matter, poor children, 
when Gardener came on the ice, and began 
to scold them and order them about. He was 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 7& 


perfectly savage with crossness ; for the people 
at Giles' Farm had laughed at him very much, 
and he did not like to be laughed at — and at 
the top of the field he had by chance met his. 
mistress, and she had asked him severely how 
he could think of leaving the children alone. 

Altogether, his conscience pricked him a 
good deal ; and when people’s consciences prick 
them, sometimes they get angry with other 
people, which is very silly, and only makes 
matters worse. 

‘What have you been doing all this time?” 
said he. 

‘‘All this five minutes?” said the eldest boy, 
mischievously; for Gardener was only to be 
away five minutes, and he had staid a full hour. 

Also, when he fumbled in his pocket for the 
children’s lunch — to stop their tongues, per- 
haps — he found it was not there. 

They set up a great outcry ; for, in spite of 
the cake, they could have eaten a little more. 
Indeed, the frost had such an effect upon all 
their appetites, that they felt not unlike that 
celebrated gentleman of whom it is told that 

“He ate a cow, and ate a calf, 

He ate an ox, and ate a half ; 

He ate a church, he ate the steeple, 

He ate the priest, and all the people. 

And said he hadn’t had enough then.” 


SO THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

“We’re so hungry, so very hungry ! Couldn’t 
you go back again and fetch us some dinner?” 
cried they, entreatingly. 

“Not I, indeed. You may go back to dinner 
yourselves. You shall, indeed, for I want 
my dinner, too. Two hours is plenty long 
enough to stop on the ice.” 

“It isn’t two hours — it’s only one.” 

“Well, one will do better than more. You’re 
all right now — and you might soon tumble in, 
or break your legs on the slide. So come 
away home. ” 

It wasn’t kind of Gardeaer, and I don’t won- 
der the children felt it hard ; indeed, the eldest 
boy resisted stoutly. 

“Mother said we might stop all day, and we 
will stop all day. You may go home if you 
like.” 

“I won’t, and you shall!” said Gardener, 
smacking a whip that he carried in his hand. 
“Stop till I catch you, and I’ll give you this 
about your back, my fine gentleman.” 

And he tried to follow, but the little fellow 
darted across the ice, objecting to be either 
caught or whipped. It may have been rather 
naughty, but I am afraid it was great fun 
dodging the Gardener up and down ; he being 
too timid to go on the slippery ice, and some- 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 81 


times getting so close that the whip nearly 
touched the lad. 

“Bless us! there’s the kangaroo again!’’ said 
he, starting. Just as he had caught the boy, 
-and lifted the whip, the creature was seen hop- 
hopping from bank to bank. “I can’t surely 
be mistaken this time; I must catch it. “ 

Which seemed quite easy, for it limped as if 
it was lame, or as if the frost had bitten its 
toes, poor beast! Gardener went after it, 
walking cautiously on the slippery, crackling 
ice, and never minding whether or not he 
walked on the slides, though they called out to 
liim that his nailed boots would spoil them. 

But whether it was that ice which bears a boy 
will not bear a man, or whether at each lame 
step of the kangaroo there came a great crack, 
is more than I can tell. However, just as Gar- 
dener reached the middle of the lake, the ice 
suddenly broke, and in he popped. — The 
kangaroo too, apparently, for it was not seen 
afterward. 

What a hullaballoo the poor man made! 
Not that he was drowning — the lake was too 
shallow to drown anybody ; but he got terribly 
wet, and the water was very cold. He soon 
scrambled out, the boys helping him ; and then 
he hobbled home as fast as he could, not even 

6 Brownie 


82 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

saying thank you, or taking the least notice of 
them. 

Indeed, nobody took any notice of them — 
nobody came to fetch them, and they might 
have staid sliding the whole afternoon. Only 
somehow they did not feel quite easy in their 
minds. And though the hole in the ice closed 
up immediately, and it seemed as firm as ever, 
still they did not like to slide upon it again. 

“I think we had better go home and tell 
mother everything/' said one of them. “Be- 
sides, we ought to see what has become of poor 
Gardener He was very wet. ” 

“Yes; but oh, how funny he looked!” And 
they all burst out laughing at the recollection; 
of the figure he cut, scrambling out through 
the ice with his trousers dripping up to the 
knees, and the water running out of his boots, 
making a little pool wherever he stepped. 

“And it freezes so hard, that by the time he 
gets home his clothes will be as stiff as a board. 
His wife will have to put him to the fire to 
thaw before he can get out of them.” 

Again the little people burst into shouts of 
laughter. Although they laughed, they were a 
little sorry for poor old Gardener, and hoped no- 
great harm had come to him, but that he had 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 83 


got safe home and been dried by his own 
warm fire. 

The frosty mist was beginning already to 
rise, and the sun, though still high up in the 
sky, looked like a ball of red-hot iron as the 
six children went homeward across the fields — 
merry enough still, but not quite so merry as 
they had been a few hours before. 

“Let’s hope mother won’t be vexed with 
us,” said they, “but will let us come back 
again to-morrow. It wasn’t our fault that 
Gardener tumbled in. ” 

As somebody said this, they all heard quite 
distinctly, “Ha, ha, ha!” and “Ho, ho, ho!” 
and a sound of little steps pattering behind. 

But whatever they thought, nobody ventured 
to say that it was the fault of the Brownie. 


84 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


ADVENTURE THE SIXTH AND LAST. 

BROWNIE AND THE CLOTHES. 

Till the next time; but when there is a 
Brownie in the house, no one can say that 
any of his tricks will be the last. For there’s 
no stopping a Brownie, and no getting rid of 
him either. This one had followed the family 
from house to house, generation after genera- 
tion — never any older, and sometimes seeming 
even to grow younger, by the tricks he played. 
In fact, though he looked like an old man, he 
was a perpetual child. 

To the children he never did any harm, quite 
the contrary. And his chief misdoings were 
against those who vexed the children. But he 
gradually made friends with several of his 
grown-up enemies. Cook, for instance, who 
had ceased to be lazy at night and late in the 
morning, found no more black foot-marks on 
her white table-cloth. And Brownie found 
his basin of milk waiting for him, night after 
night, behind the coal-cellar door. 

Bill, too, got on well enough with his pony, 


I Wk THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 85 

and Jess was taken no more night-rides. No 
ducks were lost ; and Dolly gave her milk quite 
comfortably to whoever milked her. Alas! 
this was either Bill or the Gardener’s wife now. 
After that adventure on the ice, poor Gardener 
very seldom appeared; when he did, it was 
on two crutches, for he had had rheumatism 
in his feet, and could not stir outside his cot- 
tage door. Bill, therefore, had double work;; 
which was probably all the better for Bill. 

The garden had to take care of itself ; but 
this being winter-time, it did not much sig- 
nify. Besides, Brownie seldom went into the 
garden, except in summer; during the hard 
weather he preferred to stop in his coal-cellar. 
It might not have been a lively place, but it 
was warm, and he liked it. 

He had company there, too; for when the 
cat had more kittens — the kitten he used to 
tease being grown up now — they were all put 
in a hamper in the coal-cellar; and of cold 
nights Brownie used to jump in beside them, 
and be as warm and as cozy as a kitten himself. 
The little things never were heard to mew; 
so it may be supposed they liked his society. 
And the old mother-cat evidently bore him no 
malice for the whipping she had got by mis- 
take ; so Brownie must have found means of 


86 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


coaxing her over. One thing you may be sure 
of — all the while she and her kittens were in 
his coal-cellar, he took care never to turn him- 
self into a mouse. 

He was spending the winter, on the whole, 
very comfortably, without much trouble either 
to himself or his neighbors, when one day, the 
coal-cellar being nearly empty, two men, and 
a great wagon-load of coals behind them, came 
to the door, Gardener’s wife following. 

“My man says you’re to give the cellar a 
good cleaning out before you put any more 
in,” said she, in her sharp voice; “and don’t 
be lazy about it. It’ll not take you ten min- 
utes, for it’s nearly all coal-dust, except that 
one big lump in the corner — you might clear 
that out, too.” 

“Stop, it’s the Brownie’s lump! better not 
meddle with it,” whispered the little scullery- 
maid. 

“Don’t you meddle with matters that can’t 
concern you,” said the Gardener’s wife, who 
had been thinking what a nice help it would 
be to her fire. To be sure, it was not her 
lump of coal, but she thought she might take 
it; the mistress would never miss it or the 
Brownie either. He must be a very silly old 
Brownie to live under a lump of coal. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 8T 

So she argued with herself, and made the 
men lift it. “You must lift it, you see, if 
you are to sweep the coal-cellar out clean. 
And you may as well put it on the barrow, 
and I’ll wheel it out of your way.” 

This she said in quite a civil voice, lest they 
should tell of her, and stood by while it was 
being done. It was done without anything 
happening, except that a large rat ran out of 
the coal-cellar door, bouncing against her feet, 
and frightening her so much that she nearly 
tumbled down. 

“See what nonsense it is to talk of Brownies 
living in a coal-cellar. Nothing lives there 
but rats, and I’ll have them poisoned pretty 
soon, and get rid of them." 

But she was rather frightened all the same, 
for the rat had been such a very big rat, and 
had looked at her, as it darted past, with such 
wild, bright, mischievous eyes — brown eyes, 
of course — that she all but jumped with sur- 
prise. 

However, she had got her lump of coal, and 
was wheeling it quietly away, nobody seeing, 
to her cottage at the bottom of the garden. 
She was a hard-worked woman, and her hus- 
band’s illness made things harder for her. 


88 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Still, she was not quite easy at taking what 
did not belong to her. 

“I don’t suppose anybody will miss the 
coal,” she repeated. ‘‘I dare say the mistress 
would have given it to me if I had asked her ; 
and as for its being the Brownie’s lump — 
fudge! Bless us! what’s that?” 

For the barrow began to creak dreadfully, 
and every creak sounded like the cry of a child, 
just as if the wheel were going over its leg 
and crushing its poor little bones. 

‘‘What a horrid noise! I must grease the 
barrow. If only I knew where they keep the 
grease-box. All goes wrong, now my old 
man’s laid up. Oh, dear! oh, dear!” 

For suddenly the barrow had tilted over, 
though there was not a single stone near, and 
the big coal was tumbled on to the ground, 
where it broke into a thousand pieces. Gath- 
ering it up again was hopeless, and it made 
such a mess on the gravel-walk, that the old 
woman was thankful her misfortune happened 
behind the privet hedge, where nobody was 
likely to come. 

“I’ll take a broom and sweep it up to-mor- 
row. Nobody goes near the orchard now, ex- 
cept me when I hang out the clothes; so I 
need say nothing about it to the old man or 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 89 


anybody. But, ah ! deary me, what a beautiful 
lot of coal I’ve lost!” 

She stood and looked at it mournfully, and 
then went into her cottage, where she found 
two or three of the little children keeping Gar- 
dener company. They did not dislike to do 
this now ; but he was so much kinder than he 
used to be — so quiet and patient, though he 
suffered very much. And he had never once 
reproached them for what they always remem- 
bered — how it was ever since he was on the ice 
with them that he had got the rheumatism. 

So, one or other of them made a point of go- 
ing to see him every day, and telling him alt 
the funny things they could think of — indeed, 
it was a contest among them who should first 
make Gardener laugh. They did not succeed 
in doing that exactly ; but they managed to 
make him smile; and he was always gentle 
and grateful to them ; so that they sometimes 
thought it was rather nice his being ill. 

But his wife was not pleasant ; she grumbled 
all day long, and snapped at him and his visit- 
ors; being especially snappish this day, because 
she had lost her big coal. 

“I can’t have you children come bothering 
here,” said she, crossly. “I want to wring out 


90 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


my clothes, and hang them to dry. Be off 
with you!” 

‘‘Let us stop a little — just to tell Gardener 
this one curious thing about Dolly and the pig 
— and then we’ll help you to take your clothes 
to the orchard; we can carry your basket 
between us — we can, indeed.” 

That was the last thing the woman wished ; 
for she knew that the children would be sure 
to see the mess on the gravel- walk — and they 
were such inquisitive children — they noticed 
-everything. They would want to know all 
about it, and how the bits of coal came there. 
It was a very awkward position. But people 
who take other people’s property often do find 
themselves in awkward positions. 

“Thank you, young gentlemen,” said she, 
quite politely; “but, indeed, the basket is too 
heavy for you. However, you may stop and 
gossip a little longer with my old man. He 
likes it. ” 

And, while they were shut up with Gardener 
in his bedroom, off she went, carrying the 
basket on her head, and hung her clothes care- 
fully out — the big things on lines between the 
fruit trees, and the little things, such as stock- 
ings and pocket-handkerchiefs, stuck on the 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 91 


gooseberry-bushes, or spread upon the clean 
green grass. 

“Such a fine day as it is! they’ll dry 
directly,” said she, cheerfully, to herself. 
“Plenty of sun, and not a breath of wind to 
blow them about. I’ll leave them for an hour 
or two, and come and fetch them in before it 
grows dark. Then I shall get all my folding 
done by bed-time, and have a clear day for 
ironing to-morrow.” 

But when she did fetch them in, having bun- 
dled them all together in the dusk of the even- 
ing, never was such a sight as those clothes ! 
They were all twisted in the oddest way — the 
stockings furned inside out, with the heels and 
toes tucked into the legs ; the sleeves of the 
shirts tied together in double knots, the 
pocket-handkerchiefs made into round balls, so 
tight that if you had pelted a person with them 
they would have given very hard blows indeed. 
And the whole looked as if, instead of lying 
quietly on the grass and bushes, they had been 
dragged through heaps of mud and then 
stamped upon, so that there was not a clean 
inch upon them from end to end. 

“What a horrid mess!” cried the Gardener’s 
wife, who had been at first very angry, and 
then very frightened. “But I know what it is; 


92 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


that nasty Boxer has got loose again. It’s he 
that has done it. ’ ’ 

“Boxer wouldn’t tie shirt-sleeves in double 
knots, or make balls of pocket-handkerchiefs,” 
Gardener was heard to answer, solemnly. 

“Then it’s those horrid children; they are 
always up to some mischief or other — just let 
me catch them!” 

“You’d better not,” said somebody in a 
voice exactly like Gardener’s, though he him- 
self declared he had not spoken a word. In- 
deed, he was fast asleep. 

“Well, it’s the most extraordinary thing I 
ever heard of,” the Gardener’s wife said, sup- 
posing she was talking to her husband all the 
time; but soon she held her tongue, for she 
found here and there among the clothes all 
sorts of queer marks — marks of fingers, and 
toes, and heels, not in mud at all, but in coal- 
dust, as black as black could be. 

Now, as the place where the big coal had 
tumbled out of the barrow was fully fifty yards 
from the orchard, and, as the coal could not 
come to the clothes, and the clothes could not 
go without hands, the only conclusion she 
could arrive at was — well, no particular con- 
clusion at all ! 

It was too late that night to begin washing 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 93 


again; besides, she was extremely tired, and 
her husband woke up rather worse than usual, 
so she just bundled the clothes up anyhow in 
a corner, put the kitchen to rights, and went 
mournfully to bed. 

Next morning she got up long before it was 
light, washed her clothes through all over 
again, and, it being impossible to dry them by 
the fire, went out with them once more, and 
began spreading them out in their usual cor- 
ner, in a hopeless and melancholy manner. 
While she was at it, the little folks came troop- 
ing around her. She didn’t scold them this 
time, she was too low-spirited. 

“No! my old man isn’t any better, and I 
don’t fancy he ever will be 3 ” said she, in 
answer to their questions. “And everything’s 
going wrong with us — just listen!” And she 
told the trick which had been played her about 
the clothes. 

The little people tried not to laugh, but it 
was so funny; and even now, the minute she 
had done hanging them out, there was some- 
thing so droll in the way the clothes blew 
about, without any wind; the shirts hanging 
with their necks downward, as if there was a 
man inside them; and the drawers standing 
stiffly astride on the gooseberry-bushes, for all 


94 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


the world as if they held a pair of legs stilL 
As for Gardener’s night-caps — long, white cot- 
ton, with a tassel at the top — they were alarm- 
ing to look at ; just like a head stuck on the top 
of a pole. 

The whole thing was so peculiar, and the 
old woman so comical in her despair, that the 
children, after trying hard to keep it in, at last 
broke into shouts of laughter. She turned 
furiously upon them. 

“It was you who did it!” 

“No, indeed, it wasn’t!” said they, jumpings 
farther to escape her blows. For she had got 
one of her clothes-props, and was laying about 
her in the most reckless manner. However, 
she hurt nobody, and then she suddenly burst 
out, not laughing, but crying. 

“It’s a cruel thing, whoever has done it, to 
play such tricks on a poor old body like me, 
with a sick husband that she works hard for, 
and not a child to help her. But I don’t care. 
I’ll wash my clothes again, if it’s twenty times 
over, and I’ll hang them out again in the very 
place, just to make you all ashamed of your- 
selves. ’ ’ 

Perhaps the little people were ashamed of 
themselves, though they really had not done 
the mischief. But they knew quite well who 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 95* 


had done it, and more than once they were 
about to tell; only they were afraid, if they 
did so, they should vex the Brownie so much 
that he would never come and play with them 
any more. 

So they looked at one another without speak- 
ing, and when the Gardener’s wife had emptied 
her basket and dried her eyes, they said to 
her, very kindly: 

“Perhaps no harm may come to your clothes* 
this time. We’ll sit and watch them till they 
are dry.” 

“Just as you like; I don’t care. Them that, 
hides can find, and them that plays tricks 
knows how to stop ’em. ’’ 

It was not a civil speech, but then things 
were hard for the poor old woman. She had 
been awake nearly all night, and up washing 
at daybreak ; her eyes were red with crying, 
and her steps weary and slow. The little chil- 
dren felt quite sorry for her, and, instead of 
going to play, sat watching the clothes as 
patiently as possible. 

Nothing came near them. Sometimes, as 
before, the things seemed to dance about with- 
out hands, and turn into odd shapes, as if there 
were people inside them ; but not a creature 
was seen, and not a sound was heard. And 


$6 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


though there was neither wind nor sun, very 
soon all the linen was perfectly dry. 

“Fetch one of mother’s baskets, and we’ll 
fold it up as tidily as possible — that is, the girls 
•can do it, it’s their business — and we boys will 
carry it safe to Gardener’s cottage.’’ 

So said they, not liking to say that they 
-could not trust it out of their sight for fear of 
Brownie, whom, indeed they were expecting 
to see peer round from every bush. They 
h>egan to have a secret fear that he was rather 
a naughty Brownie; but then, as the eldest little 
girl whispered, “He was only a Brownie, and 
knew no better.’’ Now they were growing 
quite big children, who would be men and 
women some time; when they hoped they 
would never do anything wrong. (Their par- 
ents hoped the same, but doubted it. ) 

In a serious and careful manner they folded 
up the clothes, and laid them one by one in 
the basket without any mischief, until, just as 
the two biggest boys were lifting their burden 
to carry it away, they felt something tugging 
at it from underneath. 

“Halloo! Where are you taking all this rub- 
hush? Better give it to me. ’’ 

“No, if you please,’’ said they, very civilly, 
not to offend the little brown man. “We’ll 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 97 


not trouble you, thanks! We’d rather do it 
ourselves ; for poor old Gardener is very ill, and 
his wife is very miserable, and we are ex- 
tremely sorry for them both.” 

“Extremely sorry!” cried Brownie, throw- 
ing up his cap in the air, and tumbling head 
over heels in an excited manner. “What in the 
world does extremely sorry mean?” 

The children could not explain, especially to 
a Brownie ; but they thought they understood 
— anyhow, they felt it. And they looked so 
sorrowful that the Brownie could not tell what 
to make of it. 

He could not be said to be sorry, since, being 
a Brownie, and not a human being, knowing 
right from wrong, he never tried particularly 
to do right, and had no idea when he was do- 
ing wrong. But he seemed to have an idea 
that he was troubling the children, and he 
never liked to see them look unhappy. 

So he turned head over heels six times run- 
ning, and then came back again. 

“The silly old woman! I washed her clothes 
for her last night in a way she didn’t expect. 
I hadn’t any soap, so I used a little mud and 
coal-dust, and very pretty they looked. Ha, 
ha, ha! Shall I wash them over again to- 
night?” 

7 Brownie 


98 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“Oh, no, please don’t!” implored the chil- 
dren. 

“Shall I starch and iron them? I’ll do it 
beautifully. One — two — three, five — six — 
seven, Abracadabra, turn — turn — ti!“ shouted 
he, jabbering all sorts of nonsense, as it 
seemed to the children, and playing such 
antics that they stood and stared in the utmost 
amazement, and quite forgot the clothes. 
When they looked round again, the basket 
was gone. 

"Seek till you find, seek till you find, 

Under the biggest gooseberry-bush, exactly to your 
mind." 

They heard him singing this remarkable 
rhyme, long after they had lost sight of him. 
And then they all set about searching; but it 
was a long while before they found, and still 
longer before they could decide, which was 
the biggest gooseberry-bush, each child having 
his or her opinion — sometimes a very strong 
one — on the matter. At last they agreed 
to settle it by pulling half a dozen little 
sticks, to see which stick was the longest, 
and the child that held it was to decide the 
gooseberry-bush. 

This done, underneath the branches what 
should they find but the identical basket of 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 99 

clothes! only, instead of being roughly dried, 
they were all starched and ironed in the most 
beautiful manner. As for the shirts, they 
really were a picture to behold, and the stock- 
ings were all folded up, and even darned in one 
or two places, as neatly as possible. And 
strange to tell, there was not a single black 
mark of feet or fingers on any one of them. 

“Kind little Brownie! clever little Brownie!” 
cried the children in chorus, and thought this 
was the most astonishing trick he had ever 
played. 

What the Gardener’s wife said about it, 
whether they told her anything, or allowed 
her to suppose that the clothes had been done 
in their own laundry instead of the Brownie’s 
(wherever that establishment might be), is 
more than I can tell. Of one thing only I am 
certain — that the little people said nothing but 
what was true. Also, that the very minute 
they got home they told their mother every- 
thing. 

But for a long time after that they were a 
good deal troubled. Gardener got better, and 
went hobbling about the place again, to his 
own and everybody’s great content, and his 
wife was less sharp-tongued and complaining 
than usual — indeed, she had nothing to com- 


L«fC. 


100 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


plain of. All the family were very flourishing, 
except the little Brownie. 

Often there was heard a curious sound all 
over the house; it might have been rats 
squeaking behind the wainscot — the elders said 
it was — but the children were sure it was a 
sort of weeping and wailing. 

“They’ve stolen my coal, 

And I haven’t a hole 
To hide in ; 

Not even a house 
One could ask a mouse 
To bide in. ’ ’ 

A most forlorn tune it was, ending in a 
dreay minor key, and it lasted for months 
and months — at least the children said it did. 
And they were growing quite dull for want of 
a playfellow, when, by the greatest good luck 
in the world, there came to the house not only 
a new lot of - kittens, but a new baby. And 
the new baby was everybody’s pet, including 
the Brownie’s. 

From that time, though he was not often 
seen, he was continually heard up and down 
the staircase, where he was frequently mis- 
taken for Tiny or the cat, and sent sharply 
down again, which was wasting a great deal 
of wholesome anger upon Mr. Nobody. Or 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 101 


he lurked in odd corners of the nursery, 
whither the baby was seen crawling eagerly 
after nothing in particular, or sitting laugh- 
ing with all her might at something — probably 
her own toes. 

But, as Brownie was never seen, he was 
never suspected. And since he did no mis- 
chief — neither pinched the baby nor broke the 
toys, left no soap in the bath and no foot- 
marks about the room — but was always a well- 
conducted Brownie in every way, he was 
allowed to inhabit the nursery (or supposed 
to do so, since, as nobody saw him, nobody 
could prevent him), until the children were 
grown up into men and women. 

After that he retired into his coal-cellar, 
and, for all I know, he may live there still, 
and have gone through hundreds of adven- 
tures since; but as I never heard them, I can’t 
tell them. Only I think, if I could be a little 
child again, I should exceedingly like a 
Brownie to play with me. Should not you? 


THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN 
LOCKS. 


There was cnce a king’s daughter so beauti- 
ful that they named her the Fair One with Gold- 
en Locks. These golden locks were the most 
remarkable in the world, soft and fine and 
falling in long waves down to her very feet. 
She wore them always thus, loose and flowing, 
surmounted with a wreath of flowers; 
and though such long hair was sometimes 
rather inconvenient, it was so exceedingly 
beautiful, shining in the sun like ripples of 
molten gold, that everybody agreed she fully 
deserved her name. 

Now, there was a young king of a neighbor- 
ing country, very handsome, very rich, and 
wanting nothing but a wife to make him happy. 
He heard so much of the various perfections of 
the Fair One with Golden Locks, that, at last, 
without even seeing her, he fell in love with 
her so desperately that he could neither eat nor 
drink, and resolved to send an ambassador at 
once to demand her in marriage. So he or- 
102 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 103 


dered a magnificent equipage — more than a 
hundred horses and a hundred footmen — in 
order to bring back to him the Fair One with 
Golden Locks, who, he never doubted, would 
be only too happy to become his queen. In- 
deed, he felt so sure of her that he refurnished 
the whole palace, and had made, by all the 
dressmakers of the city, dresses enough to last 
a lady for a lifetime. But, alas! when the 
ambassador arrived and delivered his message, 
either the princess was in a bad humor or the 
offer did not appear to be to her taste ; for she 
returned her best thanks to his majesty, but 
said she had not the slightest wish or intention 
to be married. She also, being a prudent 
damsel, declined receiving any of the presents 
which the king had sent her; except that, not 
quite to offend his majesty, she retained a box 
of English pins, which were in that country of 
considerable value. 

When the ambassador returned, alone and 
unsuccessful, all the court was very much 
affected and the king himself began to weep 
with all his might. Now, there was in the 
palace household a young gentleman named 
Avenant, beautiful as the sun, besides being at 
once so amiable and so wise that the king con- 
fided to him all his affairs; and every one 


104' THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


loved him, except those people — to be found 
in all courts — who were envious of his good 
fortune. These malicious folk hearing him say 
gayly, “If the king had sent me to fetch the 
Fair One with Golden Locks, I know she would 
have come back with me,” repeated the saying 
in such a manner that it appeared as if Ave- 
nant thought so much of himself and his 
beauty, and felt sure the princess would have 
followed him all over the world; which when, 
it came to the ears of the king, as it was meant 
to do, irritated him so much that he com- 
manded Avenant to be imprisoned in a high 
tower, and left to die there of hunger. The 
guards accordingly carried off the young man, 
who had quite forgotten his idle speech, and. 
had not the least idea what fault he had com- 
mitted. They ill-treated him very much, and 
then left him, with nothing to eat and only 
water to drink. This, however, kept him 
alive for a few days, during which he did not 
cease to complain aloud, and to call upon the 
king, saying, “O king, what harm have I 
done? You have no subject more faithful than 
I. Never have I had a thought which could 
offend you. ” 

And it so befell that the king, coming by^ 
chance, or else with a sort of remorse, past 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 105 

the tower, was touched by the voice of young 
Avenant, whom he had once so much regarded. 
In spite of all the courtiers could do to prevent 
him, he stopped to listen, and overheard these 
words. The tears rushed into his eyes; he 
opened the door of the tower and called, 
“Avenant!” Avenant came, creeping feebly 
along, fell at the king’s knees, and kissed his 
feet. 

“O sire, what have I done that you should 
treat me so cruelly?” 

“You have mocked me and my ambassador, 
for you said if I had sent you to fetch the Fair 
One with Golden Locks, you would have been 
successful and brought her back.” 

“I did say it, and it was true,” replied Ave- 
nant fearlessly; “for I should have told her 
so much about your majesty and your various 
high qualities, which no one knows so well as 
myself, that I am persuaded she would have 
returned with me.” 

“I believe it,” said the king, with an angry 
look at those who had spoken ill of his favor- 
ite ; he then gave Avenant a free pardon, and 
took him back with him to the court. 

After having supplied the famished youth 
with as much supper as he could eat, the king 
admitted him to a private audience, and said: 


106 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“'I am as much in love as ever with the Fair 
One with Golden Locks, so I will take thee at 

thy word and send thee to try and win her for 

- 1 1 
me. 

“Very well, please your majesty,” replied 
Avenant cheerfully; “I will depart to-mor- 
row. ’ ' 

The king, overjoyed with his willingness 
and hopefulness, would have furnished him 
with a still more magnificent equipage and suit 
than the first ambassador; but Avenant re- 
fused to take anything except a good horse to 
ride and letters of introduction to the princess’ 
father. The king embraced him and eagerly 
saw him depart. 

It was on a Monday morning when, without 
any pomp or show, Avenant thus started on 
his mission. He rode slowly and meditatively, 
pondering over every possible means of per- 
suading the Fair One with Golden Locks to 
marry the king ; but, even after several days’ 
journey toward her country, no clear project had 
entered into his mind. One morning, when he 
had started at break of day, he came to a great 
meadow with a stream running through it, 
along which were planted willows and poplars. 
It was such a pleasant, rippling stream that he 
dismounted and sat down on its banks. There 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 107 

lie perceived, gasping on the grass, a large 
:golden carp, which, in leaping too far after 
.gnats, had thrown itself quite out of the 
water, and now lay dying on the greensward. 
Avenant took pity on it, and though he was 
very hungry and the fish was very fat, and he 
would well enough have liked it for his break- 
fast, still he lifted it gently and put it back into 
the stream. No sooner had the carp touched 
the fresh cool water than it revived and swam 
away ; but shortly returning, it spoke to him 
from the water in this wise : 

“Avenant, I thank you for your good deed. 
I was dying, and you have saved me : I will 
recompense you for this one day/’ 

After this pretty little speech, the fish 
popped down to the bottom of the stream, ac- 
cording to the habit of carp, leaving Avenant 
very much astonished, as was natural. 

Another day he met with a raven that was 
in great distress, being pursued by an eagle, 
which would have swallowed him up in no 
time. “See,” thought Avenant, “how the 
stronger oppress the weaker! What right 
has an eagle to eat up a raven?” So taking 
his bow and arrow, which he always carried, 
he shot the eagle dead, and the raven, de- 
lighted, perched in safety on an opposite tree. 


108 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“Avenant,” screeched he, though not in the 
sweetest voice in the world, “you have gener- 
ously succored me, a poor miserable raven. 
I am not ungrateful, and I will recompense 
you one day. ’ ’ 

“Thank you,” said Avenant, and continued 
his road. 

Entering in a thick wood, so dark with the 
shadows of early morning that he could 
scarcely find his way, he heard an owl hoot- 
ing, like an owl in great tribulation. She had 
been caught by the nets spread by bird- 
catchers to entrap finches, larks, and other 
small birds. “What a pity,” thought Ave- 
nant, “that men must always torment poor 
birds and beasts who have done them no 
harm.” So he took out his knife, cut the net 
and let the owl go free. She went sailing up 
into the air, but immediately returned, hover- 
ing over his head on her brown wings. 

“Avenant,” said she, “at daylight the bird- 
catchers would have been here, and I should 
have been caught and killed. I have a grate- 
ful heart; I will recompense you one day. ” 

These were the three principal adventures 
that befell Avenant on his way to the kingdom 
of the Fair One with Golden Locks. Arrived 
there, he dressed himself with the greatest 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 109 


care, in a habit of silver brocade and a hat 
adorned with plumes of scarlet and white. He 
threw over all a rich mantle, and carried a 
little basket, in which was a lovely little dog, 
an offering of respect to the princess. With 
this he presented himself at the palace gates, 
where, even though he came alone, his mien 
was so dignified and graceful, so altogether 
charming, that every one did him reverence, 
and was eager to run and tell the Fair One 
with Golden Locks that Avenant, another am- 
bassador from the king her suitor, awaited an 
audience. 

“Avenant!” repeated the princess. “That 
is a pretty name ; perhaps the youth is pretty, 
too.” 

“So beautiful,” said the ladies of honor, 
“that while he stood under the palace window 
we could do nothing but look at him.” 

“How silly of you!” sharply said the prin- 
cess. But she desired them to bring her robe 
of blue satin, to comb out her long hair and 
adorn it with the freshest garland of flowers ; 
to give her her high-heeled shoes and her fan. 
“Also,” added she, “take care that my audi- 
ence-chamber is well swept and my throne 
well dusted. I wish in everything to appear 
as becomes the Fair One with Golden Locks.” 


110 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

This done, she seated herself on her throne 
of ivory and ebony, and gave orders for her 
musicians to play, but softly, so as not to dis- 
turb conversation. Thus, shining in all her 
beauty, she admitted Avenant to her presence. 

He was so dazzled that at first he could not 
speak : then he began and delivered his 
harangue to perfection. 

“Gentle Avenant,” returned the princess,, 
after listening to all his reasons for her return- 
ing with him, “your arguments are very 
strong, and I am inclined to listen to them; 
but you must first find for me a ring which I 
dropped into the river about a month ago. 
Until I recover it, I can listen to no proposi- 
tions of marriage.” 

Avenant, surprised and disturbed, made her 
a profound reverence and retired, taking with 
him the basket and the little dog Cabriole, 
which she refused to accept. All night long 
he sat sighing to himself, “How can I ever 
find a ring which she dropped into the river a 
month ago? She has set me an utter impossi- 
bility.” 

“My dear master,” said Cabriole, “nothing 
is an impossibility to one so young and charm- 
ing as you are : let us go at daybreak to the 
river side.” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. Ill 


Avenant patted him, but replied nothing: 
until, worn out with grief, he slept. Before 
dawn Cabriole wakened him, saying, “Master, 
dress yourself and let us go to the river.” 

There Avenant walked up and down, with 
his arms folded and his head bent, but saw 
nothing. At last he heard a voice, calling 
from a distance, “Avenant! Avenant!” 

The little dog ran to the water-side — “Never 
believe me again, master, if it is not a golden 
carp with a ring in its mouth!” 

“Yes, Avenant,” said the carp, “this is the 
ring which the princess has lost. You saved 
my life in the willow meadow, and I have rec- 
ompensed you. Farewell!” 

Avenant took the ring gratefully and re- 
turned to the palace with Cabriole, who 
scampered about in great glee. Craving an 
audience, he presented the princess with her 
ring, and begged her to accompany him to his 
master’s kingdom. She took the ring, looked 
at it, and thought she was surely dreaming. 

“Some fairy must have assisted you, for- 
tunate Avenant,” said she. 

“Madam, I am only fortunate in my desire 
to obey your wishes.” 

“Obey me still, ” she said graciously. “There 
is a prince named Galifron, whose suit I have 


112 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


refused. He is a giant at tall as a tower, who 
eats a man as a monkey eats a nut : he puts 
cannons into his pockets instead of pistols; 
and when he speaks, his voice is so loud that 
every one near him becomes deaf. Go and 
fight him, and bring me his head.” 

Avenant was thunderstruck ; but after a time 
he recovered himself — “Very well, madam. I 
shall certainly perish, but I will perish like a 
brave man. I will depart at once to fight the 
giant Galifron.” 

The princess, now in her turn surprised and 
alarmed, tried every persuasion to induce him 
not to go, but in vain. Avenant armed himself 
and started off, carrying his little dog in its 
basket. Cabriole was the only creature that 
gave him consolation: “Courage, master! 
While you attack the giant, I will bite his legs: 
he will stoop down to strike me, and then you 
can knock him on the head. ” Avenant smiled 
at the little dog’s spirit, but he knew it was 
useless. 

Arrived at the castle of Galifron, he found 
the road all strewn with bones and carcasses 
of men. Soon he saw the giant walking. His 
head was level with the highest trees, and he 
sang in a terrific voice : 



“His head was level with the highest trees.” — Page 112. 


Adventures of a Brownie. 













THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 113 


4 ‘Bring me babies to devour; 

More — more — more —more — 

Men and women, tender and tough; 

All the world holds not enough." 

To which Avenant replied, imitating the 
tune : 

‘‘Avenant you here may see; 

He is come to punish thee. 

Be he tender, be he tough, 

To kill thee, giant, Jhe is enough." 

Hearing these words, the giant took up his 
massive club, looked around for the singer, 
and, perceiving him, would have slain him on 
the spot, had not a raven, sitting on a tree 
close by, suddenly flown out upon him and 
picked out both his eyes. Then Avenant 
easily killed him and cut off his head, while the 
raven, watching him, said : 

“You shot the eagle who was pursuing me, 
I promised to recompense you and to-day I 
have done it. We are quits.” 

“No, it is I who am your debtor, Sir Ra- 
ven,” replied Avenant, as, hanging the fright- 
ful head to his saddle-bow, he mounted his 
horse and rode back to the city of the Fair 
One with Golden Locks. 

There everybody followed him, shouting, 
“Here is brave Avenant, who has killed the 


114 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


giant, ” until the princess, hearing the noise, 
and fearing it was Avenant himself who was 
killed, appeared, all trembling, and even 
when he appeared with Galifron’s head, she 
trembled still, although she had nothing to 
fear. 

“Madam,” said Avenant, “your enemy is 
dead : so I trust you will accept the hand of 
the king my master. ” 

“I cannot,” replied she thoughtfully, “un- 
less you first bring me a vial of the water in 
the Grotto of Darkness. It is six leagues in 
length, and guarded at the entrance by two 
fiery dragons. Within it is a pit, full of scor- 
pions, lizards, and serpents, and at the bottom 
of this place flows the Fountain of Beauty and 
Health. All who wash in it become, if ugly, 
beautiful, and if beautiful, beautiful forever; 
if old, young; and if young, young forever* 
Judge then, Avenant, if I can quit my king* 
dom without carrying with me some of this 
miraculous water.” 

“Madam,” replied Avenant, “you are 
already so beautiful that you require it not; 
but I am an unfortunate ambassador whose 
death you desire. I will obey you, though I 
know I shall never return. ” 

So he departed with his only friends — his 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 115 

horse and his faithful dog Cabriole; while all 
who met him looked at him compassionately, 
pitying so pretty a youth bound on such a hope- 
less errand. But however kindly they ad- 
dressed him, Avenant rode on and answered 
nothing, for he was too sad at heart. 

He reached a mountain side, where he sat 
down to rest, leaving his horse to graze and 
Cabriole to run after the flies. He knew that 
.the Grotto of Darkness was not far off, yet he 
looked about him like one who sees nothing. 
At last he perceived a rock, as black as ink, 
whence came a thick smoke ; and in a moment 
appeared one of the two dragons, breathing out 
flames. It had a yellow and green body, 
claws, and a long tail. When Cabriole saw the 
monster, the poor little dog hid himself in ter- 
rible fright. But Avenant resolved to die 
bravely; so, taking a vial which the princess 
had given him, he prepared to descend into 
the cave. 

“Cabriole,” said he, “I shall soon be dead: 
then fill this vial with my blood and carry it to 
the Fair One with Golden Locks, and after- 
ward to the king my master, to show him I 
have been faithful to the last. ” 

While he was thus speaking, a voice called, 
“Avenant! Avenant!” — and he saw an owl 


116 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

sitting on a hollow tree. Said the owl: “You 
cut the net in which I was caught, and I 
vowed to recompense you. Now is the time. 
Give me the vial ; I know every corner of the 
Grotto of Darkness — I will fetch you the water 
of beauty.” 

Delighted beyond words, Avenant delivered 
up his vial: the owl flew with it into the 
grotto and in less than half an hour reap- 
peared, bringing it quite full and well corked. 
Avenant thanked her with all his heart, and 
joyfully took once more the road to the city. 

The Fair One with Golden Locks had no 
more to say. She consented to accompany him 
back, with all her suit, to his master’s court. 
On the way thither, she saw so much of him, 
and found him so charming, that Avenant 
might have married her himself had he chosen ; 
but he would not have been false to his master 
for all the beauties under the sun. At length 
they arrived at the king’s city, and the Fair 
One with Golden Locks became his spouse 
and queen. But she still loved Avenant in her 
heart, and often said to the king her lord: 
“But for Avenant I should not be here: he has 
done all sorts of impossible deeds for my sake ; 
he has fetched me the water of beauty, and I 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 117 


shall never grow old — in short, I owe him 
everything.” 

And she praised him in this sort so much that 
at length the king became jealous; and though 
Avenant gave him not the slightest cause of 
offense, he shut him up in the same high tower 
once more — but with irons on his hands and 
feet, and a cruel jailer besides, who fed him 
with bread and water only. His sole compan- 
ion was his little dog Cabriole. 

When the Fair One with Golden Locks heard 
of this she reproached her husband for his 
ingratitude, and then, throwing herself at his 
knees, implored that Avenant might be set 
free. But the king only said, ‘‘She loves 
him!” and refused her prayer. The queen 
entreated no more, but fell into a deep melan- 
choly. 

When the king saw it, he thought she did 
not care for him because he was not handsome 
enough; and that if he could wash his face 
with her water of beauty, it would make her 
love him more. He knew that she kept it in a 
cabinet in her chamber, where she could find it 
always. 

Now, it happened that a waiting-maid in 
cleaning out this cabinet had the very day 
before knocked down the vial, which was 


118 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


broken in a thousand pieces, and all the con- 
tents were lost. Very much alarmed, she then 
remembered seeing, in a cabinet belonging to 
the king, a similar vial. This she fetched and 
put in the place of the other one, in which was 
the water of beauty. But the king’s vial con- 
tained the water of death. It was a poison, 
used to destroy great criminals — that is, noble- 
men, gentlemen, and such like. Instead of 
hanging them or cutting their heads off, like 
common people, they were compelled to wash 
their faces with this water; upon which they 
fell asleep and woke no more. So it happened 
that the king taking up this vial, believing it 
to be the water of beauty, washed his face with 
it, fell asleep, and — died. 

Cabriole heard the news, and gliding in and 
out among the crowd which clustered round 
the young and lovely widow, whispered softly 
to her: “Madam, do not forget poor Ave- 
nant.” If she had been disposed to do so, the 
sight of his little dog would have been enough 
to remind her of him — his many sufferings and 
his great fidelity. She rose up, without 
speaking to anybody, and went straight to the 
tower where Avenant was confined. There, 
with her own hands, she struck off his chains, 
and putting a crown of gold on his head and a 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 119 


purple mantle on his shoulders, said to him, 
4 ‘Be king — and my husband.” 

Avenant could not refuse ; for in his heart 
he had loved her all the time. He threw 
himself at her feet, and then took the crown 
and scepter, and ruled her kingdom like a king. 
All the people were delighted to have him 
as their sovereign. The marriage was cele- 
brated in all imaginable pomp, and Avenant 
and the Fair One with Golden Locks lived and 
reigned happily together all their days. 


THE WOODCUTTER’S DAUGH- 
TER. 


There was once a poor woodcutter, very 
miserable, though prudent and industrious; he 
had a wife and three grown-up sons, yet their 
united labors scarcely sufficed for bread. No 
hope appeared of improving his lot, when he 
was one day fortunate enough to save the life 
of his master when attacked by robbers in the 
forest. 

This master was not ungrateful ; he desired 
the woodcutter to repair to him on the follow- 
ing day in order to receive a reward. The 
poor man did not fail, hoping to gain two or 
three crowns; for it appeared so natural to 
defend an unarmed man that he attached little 
value to his services, considering his own dan- 
ger not worth a thought. He put on his best 
array, shaved, and made many reverences to 
the porter and the numerous lackeys previous 
to an introduction to the master, who was much 
more polite than the valets. 

“Well, Thomas,’ ’ said he, “how can I recom- 
120 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 121 


pense what you have done for me? Without 
your assistance I should have perished; and as 
my life is a very happy one, I value it ac- 
cordingly. ’ ’ 

Poor Thomas was at a loss how to reply; he 
stammered out, “My lord — your grace,” but 
could get no further. 

The master, in order to relieve the poor 
man, interrupted him thus: “I understand 
better than yourself, perhaps, what would suit 
you ; I would not wish to draw you from your 
native condition, for I believe that none is 
more truly happy; but I present to you and 
your children’s children, in perpetuity, the cot- 
tage which you inhabit in the forest. You and 
they shall have the power of cutting as much 
wood every year as you can use ; you shall work 
for yourself ; and if your sons like to hunt, all 
the game which they kill shall be for their own 
use. I only exact that you sell nothing, and 
that while possessing every comfort, you seek 
not to quit your peaceful obscurity.” 

Thomas was so astonished that he could find 
no words to express his gratitude. He came 
home to his wife, who heartily shared his joy. 
The sons immediately set off for a large sup- 
ply of fagots, and made a great fire; but when 
they had been thoroughly warmed, Mother 


122 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Thomas began to say what a pity it was they 
•could make no use of all the wood which was 
not burned. 

“An idea has just struck me,” replied the 
husband. “Our master gives us all we can use; 
these are his own words — very well ; I shall be 
able to use enough to bring us in a pretty 
little income!” 

“How?” said his wife. 

“When I was a boy,” rejoined the woodcut- 
ter, “my father taught me to make wooden 
shoes and I made them so light and so neat 
that they were everywhere sought for. What 
need now prevent me from exercising this 
trade? James shall cut wood in the forest, 
Peter shall kill game for dinner, and Paul, who 
has not the least brains of the three, shall go to 
sell my merchandise at the neighboring town. 
This will be a public benefit, by enabling the 
poor about us to dress with more decency and 
comfort, and it will also serve to furnish our 
own cottage, of which we shall make a little 
palace.” 

The boys, who were present, highly relished 
this idea. Mother Thomas, who was rather 
inclined to gluttony, made the most of the 
game which Peter provided. A little labor, 
good cheer, and blazing fire, a perfect family 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 123 


concord, rendered this family the happiest in 
the world. The master came to the cottage, 
and seeing them so united and industrious, 
encouraged the trade of the wooden shoes, 
which increased their comforts without expos- 
ing them to the vices attendant on avarice and 
luxury. 

But happiness as this seldom remains perma- 
nent. A flock of furious wolves appeared in 
the forest; every day they devoured either 
helpless children or travelers ; they tore up the 
roots of the trees, attacking even each other, 
while their wild howlings were heard night 
and day in the cottage of the woodcutter. 

Mother Thomas would no longer suffer her 
hoys to leave home ; and when they did go in 
spite of her, she remained watching at the door, 
refusing either to eat or drink until they 
returned. 

Such a situation was deplorable; when at 
length the young men, who were very brave, 
resolved to deliver themselves and their mas- 
ter. Taking arms, in case they should be 
attacked, they went into the forest and dug 
deep pits, covering them with a little earth, 
laid over some branches of trees ; and during 
this heavy labor, which lasted several days, 


124 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


they lighted great fires around them, in order 
to hinder the wolves from approaching. 

Success crowned their enterprise, for in 
returning to the spot at sunrise, they perceived 
that one of the pits had been broken into dur- 
ing the night, and that it was now quite 
uncovered. They charged their muskets, and 
each were disputing the honor of first firing, 
when they heard issue from the depths below 
a mild and supplicating voice imploring assist- 
ance. 

“What shall we do?” said Peter; “assuredly 
that is not the roaring of a wolf ; it is, perhaps, 
some unfortunate little wandering child. How 
lucky that we did not draw the trigger!” 

They approached and distinguished a beauti- 
ful lady richly dressed, wearing on her head a 
cluster of diamonds, which shone like a star. 
She appeared very young, and was trembling 
with cold. Much rain had fallen during the 
night, and her robe of silver gauze was dabbled 
in mud and water; her fair and tender hands 
were all dirty, which seemed to vex her even 
more than the dangers she had experienced. 
She continued, however, to struggle and to 
make signs for relief, when three enormous 
wolves appeared at a distance. The brothers 
looked at each other expressively, like people 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 125 

who feel that all is lost, but who resolve to do 
their duty. They had a cord about them, 
which Peter fastened round his body, and let 
himself down into the pit. He took the beauti- 
ful lady on his shoulders, while his brothers 
assisted in drawing them up. They then 
stretched her on the grass, for she had fainted ; 
and now the wolves had just reached them — 
when, lo! these beasts of prey were instantly 
turned into three little lambs, and licked the 
feet of the lady, - who slowly returned to life. 

“My good lads!” said she to the woodcutters, 
4 ‘fear nothing. From henceforth no more dan- 
gerous animals than these shall trouble you. 
But I owe you a still greater recompense ; lead 
me to your father; I wish to felicitate him on 
the generosity and bravery of his sons.” 

The poor youths were so astonished by this 
adventure that they felt unable to reply ; but 
they respectfully lifted her long train from the 
ground, it having now recovered all its splen- 
dor. 

The three lambs followed, skipping and frol- 
icking before them — they seemed to know the 
way; and Mother Thomas, who sat at the door 
looking out for her children, was not a little 
surprised to behold their companion. 

She had, however, presence of mind to invite 


126 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


her noble guest to enter and rest; much 
ashamed of having nothing better to offer 
than a straw chair, and some spring water, 
which was in a very clean pitcher on the 
dresser. 

“I shall willingly rest an hour with you,’ * 
said the lady. “Although you now see me for 
the first time, I am one of your best friends, of 
which I shall give you a proof. I accept a 
glass of water, on condition that your husband 
and children will also pledge me.” 

A glance of Mother Thomas’ eye directed 
her family; they each sought their ordinary 
drinking-cup, which was of wood, and then 
bent the neck of the pitcher; but what was 
their astonishment to perceive the vessel turn 
into wrought-silver in their hands, and to taste, 
instead of water, a liquor so delicious that 
when the woodcutter and his wife had drunk, 
they felt themselves ten years younger than 
before ! 

They threw themselves at the feet of the 
beautiful lady in terror ; for a natural instinct 
made them feel that great power is always 
more or less to be dreaded, even when employed 
in acts of beneficence. The lady meanwhile 
kindly raised them, and having spoken of the 
courage and generosity of their sons, who 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 127 


exposed themselves to the fury of wolves rather 
than take flight and abandon her, she said that 
her name was the fairy Coquette, and that she 
would willingly relate her history. 

4 ‘ Previously, madam, ’ ’ said the woodcutter, 
“will you have the goodness to tell me what 
is a fairy? During thirty years that I have 
inhabited this forest, I have heard of the devil, 
of the were wolf, of the monster of Gevaudan, 
but never have I heard of fairies. ’ ’ 

“We exist, notwithstanding,” replied 
Coquette, “but not in all ages nor in all coun- 
tries. We are supernatural beings, to whom 
has been imparted a portion of supernatural 
power, which we make use of for good or evil, 
according to our natural disposition; in that 
alone consists our resemblance to men. ” 

The woodcutter, who was very simple, un- 
derstood little of this explanation; but, like 
many others, had a profound respect for what 
he could not comprehend. He bowed down to 
the ground, and only requested the fairy to 
inform him why a supernatural being so highly 
gifted could have fallen into a pit prepared for 
wolves. 

“It is,” replied Coquette, “because I have 
an enemy still more powerful than myself, the 
enchanter Barabapatapouf, the most wicked 


128 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


ogre in the world; he has but three teeth, 
three hairs, one eye, and is fifteen feet high. 
With all these charms he happened to fall in 
love with me, and merely for mischief I affected 
to accept him. He then invited his friends to 
the nuptials; when, to his great mortification, 
I took them to witness that I would never be 
the wife of such a monster. Barabapatapouf 
was deeply incensed, swore to be revenged, 
and has never lost an opportunity of keeping 
his word. I should have remained three days 
in that horrible pit but for the generosity of 
your children.” 

“They have done nothing more than their 
duty,” replied the woodcutter. 

“I must also do mine,” said Coquette, “but 
my power is limited. I can satisfy but two 
wishes, and it is necessary that each of you 
should choose freely, unbiased by the other. 
You must separate accordingly, and to-mor- 
row, at early dawn, come to inform me what 
you have all resolved on during the night.” 

Mother Thomas was very uneasy in think- 
ing how she could accommodate the fairy, for 
neither her children's beds nor her own were 
worthy of offering to such a grand lady; but 
Coquette desired her to feel at ease, as she 
would provide everything needful. She then 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 129 

drew forth some grains of sand, which she 
scattered on the floor. Instantly there arose 
on the spot a bed of rose-leaves three feet 
high; the bolster was of violets, heartsease, 
and orange flowers, all breathing delicious 
perfumes; and the counterpane, entirely com- 
posed of butter-flies’ wings, exhibited colors so 
brilliant and varied that one could never be 
weary of examining it. The three lambs 
which had followed the fairy lay down at her 
feet, and as the room was rather damp, they 
gently warmed it with their breath, with a 
care and intelligence almost human. The 
woodcutter and his sons felt so surprised at all 
these wonders that they imagined themselves 
dreaming. Coquette warned Mother Thomas 
that if she should speak once to her husband 
before she again saw her, the wishes could not 
be realized. The strictest injunctions were 
indeed necessary to prevent their communicat- 
ing on a subject which interested both so 
deeply. When day appeared, Coquette sum- 
moned them to her presence. 

The woodcutter first came, and said, with his 
usual simplicity, that he never could have 
believed it so difficult to form a wish. Till 
that moment he had considered himself happy, 
but now finding it possible to obtain one thing, 

9 Brownie 


130 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


he desired a thousand. Wearied with the 
fatigue of thought, he had fallen asleep with- 
out coming to a determination; but seeing in 
his dreams five purses filled with gold, it 
seemed as if one were for him, one for his 
wife, and one for each of his children. 

“Well,” said Coquette, “these purses are 
apparently your desire; go then to the bin 
where you deposit your bread and you will find 
them. Only say how many pounds you wish 
them to contain.” 

“Oh, if there were but a hundred pounds in 
each,” replied Thomas, “that would be suf- 
ficient to extend our little commerce, and send 
our wooden shoes to China itself.” 

“Your wish is accomplished,” said the fairy; 
“go away, and permit your wife to come in her 
turn.” 

The good dame had also passed a sleepless 
night, and had never before been so much 
agitated or so unhappy; sometimes she wished 
for riches, and then thought riches would not 
prevent her from dying — so she had better 
wish that she might live a hundred years. 
Now one idea filled her mind, now another; it 
seemed as if the fairy should have given her at 
least a month to deliberate. At last she sud- 
denly said: “Madam fairy, I am very old,. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 131 


and what I desire most is a daughter to assist 
me in household management and to keep me 
company; my husband almost lives in the 
woods and leaves me at break of day; my sons 
also go about their business; we are without 
neighbors, and I have nobody to speak to.” 

“Be it so,” said the fairy; “you shall have 
the prettiest daughter imaginable, and she 
shall speak from her birth, in order that no time 
may be lost. Call your husband and sons ; I 
hope to find all parties content.” 

The little family assembled, but harmony 
was not the result of their communications. 
The young men thought their father’s wish 
quite pitiful, and the woodcutter by no means 
relished the idea of another child. The fairy, 
however, provided an excellent breakfast, and 
the wine reanimated his spirits. 

“Now I promise,” said Coquette, “that you 
shall have a daughter, who at the moment of 
her birth will be endowed with the figure and 
the intelligence of twelve years old. Call her 
Rose, for her complexion shall shame the 
flower which bears that name.” 

“And I pronounce that she shall also be as 
black as ebony, and become, before the age 
of fifteen, the wife of a great king,” said a very 
strong voice in clear and distinct accents, ac- 


132 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


companied by shouts of laughter, which evi- 
dently proceeded from a great pitcher placed 
at the corner of the chimney. 

The fairy Coquette turned pale, and con- 
sternation was general; but the woodcutter, 
now merry with wine, joined in the laugh. 
“Ah! how droll,” said he; “red and black 
roses! A likely story, indeed, that a great 
king would come a-wooing to a woodcutter’s 
daughter. Only a pitcher could invent such 
nonsense, and I shall teach it to utter no 
more. ” 

Thus saying, he gave the pitcher a great 
kick and broke it in pieces, when there issued 
from it a smoke thick and black, and so stifling 
that Coquette was obliged to use two bottles 
of essence to dissipate its noxious effects. 

“Ah, cruel Barabapatapouf !” cried she, 
“must your malignity then extend even to 
those whom I wish to benefit? I indeed recog- 
nize my enemy,” said she to the woodcutter ; 
“beware of him, and believe that it is with no 
good intention he destines your daughter for 
the bride of a king. Some mystery is here 
concealed, foreboding evil.” 

Every one was rendered quite melancholy 
by this adventure, and Coquette, beginning to 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 133 


weary of these poor foresters, opened the win- 
dow and disappeared. 

A great quarrel then arose between the 
woodcutter and his sons, who, forgetting that 
respect in which they had never before failed, 
reproached him for losing an opportunity of 
rendering them all happy. “We might,” said 
they, “have purchased estates, finery of all 
kinds, and been as rich and noble as many 
who now despise us. One or two millions 
would have been as easy said as five hundred 
pounds; that sum would obtain a marquisate 
for my father, and baronies for each of us. 
What extraordinary stupidity our parents have 
shown!” 

“My children,” said the woodcutter, “are 
these things, then, necessary for happiness? 
It appeared to me that you were well satisfied 
when our master only made our poverty a little 
less oppressive ; and now, while you have more 
gold than you ever saw in your lives, one 
would suppose that you had been deeply 
injured, and could never know contentment 
more. ” 

As for Mother Thomas, she was wiser, and 
so well pleased with the idea of her daughter 
that her imagination roamed no further. In 
course of time she gave birth to an infant; but 


134 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

scarcely had it seen the light than it glided 
from her arms, and started up to the stature of 
a well-formed girl of twelve or thirteen years 
old, who made a low courtesy to the woodcut- 
ter, kissed the hand of her mother, and offered 
her brothers a cordial embrace. But these 
lads ill-naturedly repulsed the young stranger; 
they felt jealous, fearing that she would now 
be preferred to them. 

Rose, one might say, was born dressed, for 
flowing ringlets fell around her shoulders, 
forming a complete covering; and with her 
increase of size appeared a little smart petti- 
coat and brown bodice in peasant fashion. 
Her delicate feet were clad in wooden shoes, 
but both the foot and the shoe were so shapely 
that any lady in the land might have been 
proud to exhibit them. Her little plump hand 
was so white that it hardly appeared formed 
for rustic labors, yet she immediately prepared 
to assist in household matters, and the poor 
old dame was never weary of caressing such a 
charming child. 

A bed was prepared for Rose beside her 
mother. This good girl arose at dawn to pre- 
pare the young men’s breakfast; for she had 
an excellent natural disposition, and so much 
intelligence that she seemed to know by 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 135 


Instinct that her birth was displeasing to them, 
and sought to gain their regard by good- 
matured attentions. 

Mother Thomas soon rose likewise, and 
returned to the kitchen. But what was her 
horror on beholding her daughter’s face black 
as ebony, her hair woolly and crisped like a 
negro’s! As there was no mirror in the cot- 
tage, Rose could not understand what had so 
alarmed her mother; she asked if she had 
involuntarily had the misfortune to give 
offense. 

“No, no,’’ said the old dame, weeping; 
“shouldst thou remain all thy life as black as 
ink, I shall not love thee less; but I cannot 
without pain recall thy beauties of yesterday. 
Thou wilt be laughed at; and us too. Still, 
we will keep thee — thou must never leave us. ’’ 

Rose readily promised she never would. 
But when her brothers returned, they consid- 
ered the change in her quite as a matter of 
course. The recollected the prediction of the 
pitcher, and seemed quite delighted to think 
that, since it was fulfilled in the first instance, 
they might yet become the brothers of a queen. 

Meanwhile they lived on better terms with 
Rose, hoping that one day she might be of serv- 
ice to them. Far from listening to the coun- 


136 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


sels of their father, they endeavored to awaken 
in her mind the seeds of ambition ; and in order 
to further views interested and selfish, flattered 
her beauty, her talents, and her sense, render- 
ing the future queen the most respectful hom- 
age, which diverted her exceedingly. 

But, strange to say, Rose was not always 
black; every second day she recovered her 
natural beauty, from whence it might be con- 
cluded that the influence of the fairy and the 
enchanter Barabapatapouf operated alter- 
nately. The woodcutter’s family grew gradu- 
ally accustomed to these successions; and as 
habit reconciles people to all things, each color 
became indifferent to them. 

Thomas was too old to change his mode of 
life; he would not hear of going to live in 
town, although thej^ had money sufficient for 
that purpose ; he also still continued the mak- 
ing of wooden shoes. Those which Rose wore 
in winter were trimmed with lamb’s-wool, 
which she wrought very dexterously; she was 
clever and ingenious, but, it must be con- 
fessed, a little imperious; and was sometimes 
surprised sighing like a person indulging in 
visionary wishes and languishing under •some 
secret chagrin. 

A year passed: Rose grew tall, and her 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 13? 


brothers, weary of waiting for an event so un- 
certain as her marriage with a king, executed 
a crime which they had long meditated. See- 
ing that their father had touched but one of 
the purses, they easily obtained possession of 
the rest, and rising with the dawn, all three 
departed, saying, to satisfy their consciences, 
that these purses must be finally theirs, and 
that they would, meanwhile, turn them to 
advantage. When they should become very 
rich, they would come back to their parents 
and take care of their latter days. Each of 
them made a belt, in which he concealed his 
gold ; and with perfect concord, more fre- 
quently found among knaves than honest men, 
they traveled a hundred leagues in eight days. 

The woodcutter and his wife did not at first 
comprehend the extent of their misfortune. 
They thought their children must have gone 
astray in the forest, and the old man wandered 
everywhere in search of them. But when he 
observed the loss of the purses, the truth was 
revealed, and he felt ready to die with grief. 
“Cursed gold!” cried he, “thou hast corrupted 
my brave and honest boys ; they were poor, 
but virtuous; they are now become villains, 
and will meet punishment from either man or 
God!” 


138 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Thus saying, he took the remaining purse 
and flung it into the bottom of a well. Mother 
Thomas was vexed, but dared not speak, for 
the unfortunate man was so much irritated 
and troubled that he would have beaten her. 

When his reason cleared a little, however, he 
felt that he had committed an error in parting 
with his money, they being both old and 
unable to work as formerly. 

The dame sold some articles which had been 
purchased during their prosperity. But pov- 
erty was nothing; it was the conduct of their 
sons which inflicted the bitter sting. 

How was this then augmented, when some 
officers of justice arrived and announced that 
James, Peter, and Paul had been arrested. It 
seemed that while drinking together in a pub- 
lic-house, they had spread on a table all their 
gold. The host surprised them, and not believ- 
ing that young peasants, so coarsely clothed 
and wearing wooden shoes, could lawfully be 
in possession of such a sum, he had given them 
in charge. The poor boys, quite terrified, 
related the story of the fairy Coquette ; but as 
the magistrate had never seen a fairy, he did 
not believe one word of the matter. 

Having then no hope but in the kindness of 
their father, they sent to summon the wood- 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 139 

cutter and his wife, who confirmed all their 
assertions. But as no money was found in the 
cottage, whose inhabitants appeared to subsist 
on their labor, the officers knew not what to 
think. 

Meantime they arrested the woodcutter for 
the purpose of identifying his children. Pale, 
and trembling like criminals, the old couple 
followed the guards. Mother Thomas was 
ready to faint, and doubly grieved for leaving 
poor Rose all alone, especially as this was her 
day for being white and beautiful. She 
begged her not to leave the house, but to live 
on the milk of her sheep, and to bake cakes of 
some meal which was in the bin. Their adieus 
were heart-rendering; although the soldiers 
declared that in three days the forester should 
be at liberty to return, provided the innocence 
of his family was established. Rose believed 
them, and endeavored to take courage. But 
more than a month passed, and no tidings of 
her parents. She could not then prevent 
herself from wandering a little on the highway ; 
and having walked till sunset, wept so bitterly 
that her beauty indeed must have been a fairy- 
gift to remained uninjured. 

One evening, being more worn out than 
usual, she seated herself at the foot of a tree 


140 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


and fell asleep. A slight noise awoke her, and 
on looking up, she perceived a young gentle- 
man richly dressed, who was contemplating 
her with evident astonishment. “Art thou a 
goddess, or a simple mortal?” cried he. 

“Sir,” replied Rose, “I am the daughter of 
a poor woodcutter, who lives in the forest ; it 
is late, and I beg you will not detain me.” 

“You are a wayward beauty, indeed!” 
replied the prince, for so he was; “but as my 
way lies in that direction, I hope you will per- 
mit me to see you home. ” 

“It is not in my power to prevent you,” said 
Rose, without raising her eyes. 

The prince at this moment remarked that 
she had been weeping, and delighted to have 
an opportunity of offering sympathy and con- 
solation, entreated her to impart her grief to 
him. “I am not actuated by mere curiosity,” 
added he; “I never can behold a woman in 
tears without feeling moved to the bottom of 
my soul! Tell me your distress, and I will 
neither sleep nor eat till I have aided you. ’ ’ 
Rose timidly raised her lovely blue eyes, to 
see whether the countenance of the prince har- 
monized with his discourse; but although he 
was not actually ugly, his features wore an 
expression too stern and hypocritical to invite 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 141 

her confidence. She therefore walked silently 
forward, and when near the cottage felt so 
uneasy that for the first time she invented a 
lie in order to get rid of him. “You seem to 
compassionate my sorrows,” said she; “mean- 
while you only increase them. When my 
mother sees me accompanied by a great gentle- 
man like you, she will beat me, and not believe 
that you have followed me against my will.” 

This reasoning appeared so just to the prince, 
who felt himself affected by a passion such as 
he had never before experienced, that he con- 
sented to retire, entreating Rose to meet him 
the next evening at the same hour. She 
refused to give a decisive answer and returned 
home much dejected, recalling all the words of 
the stranger, and almost reproaching herself 
for having behaved so harshly to him. 

The following day Rose took mechanically 
the same route, going always in the path by 
which her parents might be expected. Her 
provisions being nearly exhausted she feared 
to die of hunger, and began to think that this 
gentleman, who had been repulsed so rudely, 
could, perhaps, obtain news of her family. 
Suddenly beholding him leaning against a tree, 
looking very melancholy and dejected, she 


142 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


threw herself at his feet, bathed in tears, and 
said : 

“Sir, a wretch who has lost everything dear 
supplicates your compassion. You are so kind 
— so tender-hearted ” 

“What does the vile creature want?" ex- 
claimed the prince, with a savage expression. 
“How dare you have the impertinence to 
address me? I wonder what prevents me from 
shooting you. I lost my sport all yesterday in 
following a pretty girl ; here is game of a new 
description. ” 

Rose started up, overwhelmed with terror, 
while the prince laughed most brutally. It 
was not till that moment she recollected that 
this was her black day, which accounted for his 
not recognizing her. “Ah!” thought she, 
“this is the humane man who could not behold 
a woman weep ; because my color displeases 
him, he is ready to take my life. No hope 
now remains for me — my misfortunes are at 
their height!” 

Rose wept all night ; yet she could not pre- 
vent herself from returning to the same spot 
on the following day; she felt irresistibly led 
thither, dreading, and yet wishing to meet the 
prince. 

He had been already waiting above an hour. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 143: 


and accosted her with a degree of respect quite 
unusual for him ; but he was in love, and love 
makes the worst of people better for the time. 

“Cruel beauty!” said he, in a courtier-like 
style, to which Rose was little accustomed, 
“what have I not suffered during your absence ! 
I even remained all night in the wood, in 
expectation of you, and the queen my mother 
dispatched messengers everywhere, fearing 
some accident had befallen me.” 

“The queen, your mother!” exclaimed Rose. 
“Are you then the son of a queen?” 

“I have betrayed myself!” said the prince, 
striking his forehead in a theatrical manner. 
“Yes, it is true, I have that misfortune. You 
will now fear me ; and what we fear, we never 
love. * ’ 

“The wicked alone are to be feared,” an- 
swered Rose. “I am very glad to hear that 
you are a king, for I know that you will be my 
husband.” 

The prince, who little guessed the enchant- 
er’s communication, was confounded by the 
unembarrassed freedom of her manner; but it 
was far from displeasing to him. “You are 
ambitious,” said he, smiling; “but there is 
nothing to which beauty may not pretend. 
Tell me only how I can have the happiness of 


144 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


-serving you, and you shall see that everything 
is possible to love. ” 

Rose sat down on the grass and related in 
very simple terms the story of the purse ; con- 
fessed that she had deceived him, and that, so 
far from being severely treated at home, she 
was now weeping her mother’s loss; that the 
king must take measures for the discovery and 
liberation of her family, before he could hope 
to win her affections or pretend to her hand. 

The enamored monarch vowed he would not 
lose a moment; and although she behaved with 
much dignity, her every word and look was 
adorable in his eyes. Rose thought all night 
of the fine fortune of being a quen ; she would 
then no longer wear wooden shoes ; and, above 
all, might have an opportunity of being useful 
to her dear parents. 

These meetings continued every alternate 
day during a week ; and the queen dowager 
was informed that her son neglected all busi- 
ness, and thought of nothing but making love. 
She was in despair. The prince was surnamed 
the Terrible, by reason of his ferocity to 
women ; till that moment he had never loved, 
But he had frequently made pretense of it, 
and when successful, it was not unusual with 
him to cut out the poor ladies’ tongues, put 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 145 


out their eyes, or even throw them into the 
sea. The least pretext sufficed for this; and 
the queen, who was of a kind disposition, 
lamented that yet another victim was prepar- 
ing. The courtiers begged her to be tranquil ; 
said it was nothing more than the daughter of 
a poor woodcutter whom his majesty now 
admired, and that if he did kill her, it would 
be of little consequence. 

But the courtiers, and the queen dowager 
herself, were altogether bewildered when the 
king, having liberated the woodcutter and his 
family, brought Rose to the palace as his 
wife. She was not at all abashed or out of 
•countenance; she behaved with the utmost 
respect to the queen, and with affability to all. 
It was universally remarked: “The king has 
committed a folly, but that charming girl is his 
excuse, and no man would have been wiser 
under similar circumstances.” 

A grand ball was given in the evening. 
Rose danced well enough for a queen ; and she 
yielded herself up entirely to the enchantment 
of such a happy day. The prince, ever eager 
to be near her, was figuring away in a quad- 
rille, when twelve o’clock struck: great, then, 
was his astonishment, while gazing passion- 
ately on his partner, he beheld — a negress ! 

10 Brownie 


146 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

“What metamorphosis is this?” cried he, 
rudely seizing her arm; “where is the princess 
I married to-day?” 

Rose bent her head in confusion; it still 
bore her diamonds and her crown — no doubt, 
could exist of her identity. 

“Wretched, hideous black, thou shalt surely 
die!” cried the king; “none shall deceive me 
with impunity. ” He then drew a poniard and 
was preparing to take instant vengeance, when, 
recollecting himself — “I do thee too much 
honor,” said he; “rather let my cooks cut thee 
in pieces to make a hash for my hounds. ” 

The old queen, as humane as her son was 
cruel, knew there was but one means of saving 
the unfortunate victim ; this was to appear still 
more enraged than the king. 

“I truly feel this injury,” said she; “some- 
times you have reproached my weakness, but 
now behold a proof that I also can avenge. 
Your orders must be strictly fulfilled — I 
myself shall witness the execution.” She then 
signed to the guards to lay hold of the unfor- 
tunate Rose, who was dragged away by an iron 
chain fastened round her neck. She gave her- 
self up for lost, and uttering the most heart - 
rendering cries, was led away to a pigeon- 
house at the end of the palace, furnished with 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 14? 


some clean straw: here, however, the queen, 
promised to come on the following day. 

Her majesty kept her word. Much affected 
by the sweetness of the hapless bride, she 
promised to mitigate, as far as possible, her 
melancholy situation. 

Rose, very greatful, supplicated her bene- 
factress to inform the woodcutter’s family that 
she was still alive, knowing what they would 
suffer should the story reach them of the black 
Rose have breakfasted the king’s hounds. The 
queen promised to employ a confidential 
domestic; and Rose, who had still preserved 
her wooden shoes, sent one, that her father 
might recognize his handiwork. 

A few days afterward a young peasant 
arrived from the cottage; he brought some 
cakes and cheese, made by Mother Thomas, 
which Rose preferred to all the delicacies of 
the palace. 

This young peasant, who was named Mirto, 
related to Rose everything concerning her 
dear parents, and took back very loving mes- 
sages from her to them. 

Mirto found so much pleasure in conversing 
with the fair prisoner, and had so often cakes 
to carry, that they were seldom asunder. He 
said he was an orphan, and having some work 


148 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

to do in the prison where Thomas had been 
confined, there formed a friendship with the 
family. In return for some little services then 
rendered them, he desired to learn the trade of 
the wooden shoes; being very ingenious, he 
became a valuable acquisition. He never had 
felt so happy before. In truth, he was not 
aware that this happiness received its date 
from the hour in which he first saw Rose. 

Alas ! poor Rose was only too sensible of his 
affection, and feeling the duty of struggling 
against it, found herself still more miserable 
than before. 

“Whatever may be the conduct of Prince 
Terrible,’’ said she to herself, “I have married 
him. It is certainly very hard to love a hus- 
band who wished to kill me, but still I should 
not permit myself to love another.’’ 

For a whole month following she had suf- 
ficent resolution to see Mirto no more, and was 
becoming sick with chagrin and weariness. 
The queen visited her frequently, bringing all 
sorts of sweetmeats, and a singing-bird, to 
divert her captivity. She brought no finery; 
indeed, that would have been quite thrown 
away on the pigeons. 

At length, one day Rose heard a great noise 
in the palace. People kept running to and fro 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 149 


— all the bells were rung and all the cannons 
fired. The poor prisoner mounted up to one 
of the pigeon-holes, and peeping through, per- 
ceived the palace hung with black. She knew 
not what to think. But some one of the 
queen’s officers appeared, and conducted her 
in due form to the court. Rose, all trembling, 
inquired what had happened. 

“Your majesty is a widow,” replied the 
officer; “the king has been killed in hunting; 
here are your weeds, of which the queen begs 
your acceptance. ’ ’ 

Rose was much agitated, but she followed 
the officer in silence, with a sad and serious 
aspect, as a dignified personage should do when 
informed of the death of a husband. 

The queen was a tender mother, and although 
fully conscious of the ferocious disposition of 
her son, she deeply lamented him, and wept 
bitterly on embracing her daughter-in-law. 
“Your husband is no more,” said she; “forget 
his errors, my dear child ; the remainder of my 
life shall be devoted to making atonement for 
them.” 

The princess threw herself at her benefac- 
tress’ feet, and declared all was forgotten. “If 
your majesty deigns to permit rrie to speak 
candidly,” added she, “and will bestow a. 


150 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

moment’s attention, I shall confess the dearest 
wishes of my heart!” 

“Speak,” said the queen; nothing now can 
assuage my grief save an opportunity of prov- 
ing to you my friendship.” 

“I was not born for a queen,” continued 
Rose. “My mother is a poor forester, but she 
lias been a tender parent, and weeps inces- 
santly for my absence.” 

“Let her be conducted hither,” replied the 
queen. 

“This is not all, madam,” continued Rose. 
“I confess that I love a young peasant, who 
has assisted my father to make wooden shoes. 
If I were the wife of Mir to, and your majesty 
would have the goodness to give some assist- 
ance to my family, my old father might be 
freed from labor, and I the happiest woman in 
the world.” 

The queen embraced Rose, and promised all 
she wished. She then conducted her to the 
forest; and just as they had reached its bound- 
ary, they perceived in the air a mahogany car, 
mounted on wheels of mother-o’-pearl; two 
pretty white lambs were yoked to it, which 
Rose immediately recognized as those of the 
fairy Coquette. 

The car descended, and the fairy, alighting, 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 151 

thus addressed the queen: “Madam, I come to 
seek my child, and am delighted to find you 
willing to part with her, for she has a lover 
whom I approve; who loves her faithfully, 
though hopelessly, which is a thing more rare 
than all the treasures of your majesty's 
crown.’ ’ 

The fairy then addressing herself to Rose 
related that her enemy, the enchanter Baraba- 
patapouf, had just been killed in combat with 
another giant. “Now,” added Coquette, “I 
have full power to render you happy;’’ and 
passing her fair hand over Rose’s face, the 
negro color and features vanished — to reappear 
no more. 

The queen, convinced that her daughter-in- 
law required nothing further, offered only her 
portrait as a token of esteem and friendship. 
Rose received it with grateful respect, then 
ascended the fairy’s car, and was in a few 
minutes surrounded by the foresters, who 
never wearied of caressing her. Poor Mirto 
drew back, trembling, not knowing whether 
to hope or fear; but Coquette, perceiving their 
mutual embarrassment, declared that she had 
ordained this marriage from the very begin- 
ning. She blessed them, gave them a flock of 
beautiful white sheep, a cottage covered with 


152 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

honey-suckles and roses, a lovely garden 
abounding with fruits and flowers, and a mod- 
erate sum of money ; endowing them also with 
life for a hundred years, uninterrupted health, 
and constant love. 


THE BLUEBIRD. 


A powerful and wealthy king, having lost his 
wife, was so inconsolable that he shut himself 
up for eight entire days in a little cabinet, where 
he spent his time in knocking his head against 
the wall, until the courtiers were afraid he 
would kill himself ! They accordingly placed 
stuffed mattresses over every wall, and allowed 
all his subjects who desired to pay him a visit, 
trusting that something would be said to alle- 
viate his grief. But neither grave nor lively 
discourse made any impression upon him ; he 
scarcely heard what was spoken. At last there 
presented herself before him a lady, covered 
from head to foot in a long crape veil, who 
wept and sobbed so much that the king noticed 
her. She told him that she did not come, like 
the rest, to console him, but rather to encour- 
age his grief. She herself had lost the best of 
husbands, and here she began to weep so pro- 
fusely that it was a wonder her eyes were not 
melted out of her head. The king began to 
weep in company, and to talk to her of his 
153 


154 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


dear wife — she did the same of her dear hus- 
band : in fact, they talked so much that they 
talked their sorrow quite away. Then, lifting 
up her veil, she showed lovely blue eyes and 
dark eyelashes. The king noticed her more 
and more — he spoke less and less of the 
departed queen ; by and by he ceased to speak 
of her at all. The end was that he courted the 
inconsolable lady in the black veil and married 
her. 

By his first marriage he had one daughter, 
called Fiorina, or the little Flora, because she 
was so fresh and lovely; at the time of his 
second marriage she was quite fifteen years old. 
The new queen also had a daughter, who was 
being brought up by her godmother, the fairy 
Soussio — her name was Troutina, because her 
complexion was all slotted like a trout’s back. 
Indeed, she was altogether ugly and disagree- 
able; and when contrasted with Fiorina, the 
difference between the two made the mother 
so envious that she and Troutina spared no 
pains to make the princess’ life unhappy, and 
to speak ill of her to her father. 

One day the king observed that both girls 
were now old enough to be married, and that 
he intended to choose for one of them the first 
prince who visited his court. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 155 

“Be it so,” said the queen; “and as my 
daughter is older, handsomer, and more ami- 
able thany ours, she shajl have the first choice. ” 
The king disputed nothing; indeed, he never 
did — the queen ruled him in all things. 

Some time after, news came that King 
Charming would shortly arrive, and that he 
was as charming as his name. When the 
queen heard this news, she sent for milliners, 
dress-makers, jewelers, and decked Troutina 
from head to foot; but to Fiorina she allowed 
not a single new frock. The poor princess had 
to put on her old one, which was very old and 
shabby indeed; she was so much ashamed of it 
that she hid herself in a corner of the salon, 
lest King Charming should see her. But he 
did not, being overwhelmed with the ceremoni- 
ous reception given him by the queen, who 
presented to him Troutina, all blazing with 
jewels, yet so ugly that King Charming invol- 
untarily turned away his eyes. 

“But, madam, is there not another princess, 
called Fiorina?” 

They pointed to the corner where Fiorina 
was hidden, and she came out, blushing so 
much that the young king was dazzled with 
her beauty, in spite of her shabby gown. He 
rose and made her a profound reverence, pay- 


156 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

ing her besides so many elegant compliments 
that the queen became very much displeased. 
King Charming took no heed, but conversed 
with Fiorina for three hours without stopping. 
Indeed, his admiration of her was so plain, 
that the queen and Troutina begged of the 
king that she might be shut up in a tower dur- 
ing the whole time of his visit; so, as soon as 
she had returned to her apartment, four men 
in masks entered and carried her off, leaving” 
her in a dark cell, and in the utmost desolation. 

Meantime King Charming eagerly awaited 
her reappearance, but he saw her no more ; 
and by the queen’s orders, every one about 
him spoke all the evil they could of poor Fior- 
ina, but he refused to believe one word. “ No, ” 
said he, “nature could not have united a base 
nature to such a sweet, innocent face. I will 
rather suppose that she is maligned by her step- 
mother and by Troutina, who is so ugly herself 
that no wonder she bears envy toward the 
fairest woman in the world.” 

Meanwhile Fiorina, shut up in her tower, 
lamented bitterly. “Ah, would I had been 
sent here before I saw this amiable prince, who 
was so kind to me ! It is to prevent my meet- 
ing him again that the queen treats me so 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 157 


cruelly. Alas! the little beauty have has cost 
me sore!” 

The queen, to win King Charming for her 
daughter, made him many presents; among 
the rest an order of knighthood, a golden heart, 
enameled in flame-color, surrounded with many 
arrows, but pierced by one only, the motto 
being, “She alone.” The heart was made of 
a single ruby as big as an ostrich’s egg. Each 
arrow was a diamond, a finger’s length, and 
the chain was of pearls, each weighing a pound. 
When the young king received this very hand- 
some present, he. was much perplexed, until 
they told him it came from the princess whom 
he had lately seen, and who requested him to 
be her knight. 

“Fiorina!” cried he, enchanted. 

“No, Troutina.” 

“Then I am sorry I cannot accept the 
honor,” replied King Charming. “A monarch 
is surely at liberty to form his own engage- 
ments. I know what is a knight’s duty to his 
lady, and should wish to fulfill it; as I cannot 
fulfill it to Troutina, I would rather decline the 
favor she offers me than become unworthy of 
it.” 

Civil as this answer was, it irritated the 
queen and her daughter exceedingly; and 


158 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

when, since in all his audiences with their 
majesties he never saw Fiorina, he at last 
inquired where the younger princess was, the 
queen answered fiercely that she was shut up 
in prison, and would remain there till Troutina 
was married. 

“And for what reason?” asked King Charm- 
ing. 

“I do not know; and if I did, I would not 
tell you,” replied the queen more angrily than 
ever ; so that King Charming quitted her pres- 
ence as soon as ever he could. 

When he was alone, he sent for one of his 
attendants, whom he trusted very much, and 
begged him to gain information from some 
court lady about the Princess Fiorina. This 
scheme succeeded so well that Fiorina was per- 
suaded to promise she would speak to him for 
a few moments next night, from a small win- 
dow at the bottom of the tower. But the faith- 
less lady-in-waiting betrayed her to the queen, 
who locked her up in her chamber, and deter- 
mined to send her own daughter to the window 
instead. The night was so dark that King 
Charming never found out the difference, but 
made to Troutina all the tender speeches that he 
meant for Fiorina, offering her his crown and 
his heart, and ending by placing his own ring 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 15$ 


©n her finger, as a pledge of eternal fidelity. 
He also made her agree to fly with him next 
night, in a chariot drawn by winged frogs, of 
which a great magician, one of his friends, had 
made him a present. He thought she talked 
very little, and that little not in quite so pleas- 
ant a voice as formerly; still, he was too much 
in love to notice much, and departed very joy- 
ful in having obtained her promise. 

Next night Troutina, thickly veiled, quitted 
the palace by a secret door. King Charming, 
met her, received her in his arms, and vowed 
to love her forever. Then he lifted her into the 
fairy chariot, and they sailed about in the air 
for some hours. But as he was not likely to- 
wish to sail about forever, he at last proposed 
that they should descend to earth and be mar- 
ried. Troutina agreed with all her heart, but 
wished that the ceremony should be performed 
at her godmother’s, the fairy Soussio. So 
they entered together into the fairy palace, and 
she told her godmother privately how all had 
happened, and how she had won King Charm- 
ing, begging the fairy to pacify him when he. 
found out his mistake. 

“My child,’’ replied the godmother, “that 
is more easily said than done ; he is too deeply 
in love with Fiorina. ’ ’ 


160 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Meantime the king was left waiting in a 
chamber with diamond walls, so thin and trans- 
parent that through them he saw Troutina and 
Soussio conversing together. He stood like a 
man in a dream: “What! am I betrayed? 
Has this enemy to my peace carried away my 
dear Fiorina?” 

How great was his despair when Soussio said 
to him in a commanding voice, “King Charm- 
ing, behold the Princess Troutina, 1 6 whom 
you have promised your faith : marry her im- 
mediately !” 

“Do you think me a fool?” cried the king. 

“I have promised her nothing. She is ” 

“Stop — if you show me any disrespect ” 

“I will respect you as much as a fairy 
deserves to be respected, if you will only give 
me back my princess. ” “Am not I she?” said 
Troutina. “It was to me you gave this ring; 
to me you spoke at the window. ’ ’ 

“I have been wickedly deceived!” cried the 
king; “come, my winged frogs, we will depart 
immediately. ” 

“You cannot,” said Soussio; and, touching 
liim, he found himself fixed as if his feet were 
glued to the pavement. 

“You may turn me into stone!” exclaimed 
lie; “but I will love no one except Fiorina. ” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 161 


Soussio employed persuasions, threats, prom- 
ises, entreaties. Troutina wept, groaned, 
shrieked, and then tried quiet sulkiness; but 
the king uttered not a word. For twenty days 
and twenty nights he stood there, without 
sleeping, or eating, or once sitting down — they 
talking all the while. 

At length Soussio, quite worn out, said: 
41 Choose seven years of penitence and punish- 
ment, or marry my goddaughter. ” 

“I choose,” answered the king; “and I will 
not marry your goddaughter. ” 

“Then fly out of this window in the shape of 
a bluebird. ” 

Immediately the king’s figure changed. His 
arms formed themselves into wings; his legs 
and feet turned black and thin, and claws grew 
upon them ; his body wasted into the slender 
shape of a bird, and was covered with bright 
blue feathers; his eyes became round and 
beady; his nose an ivory beak; and his crown 
was a white plume on the top of his head. He 
began to speak in a singing voice, and then, 
uttering a doleful cry, fled away as far as pos- 
sible from the fatal palace of Soussio. 

But though he looked only a bluebird, the 
king was his own natural self still, and remem- 
bered all his misfortunes, and did not cease to 

11 Brownie 


162 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

lament for his beautiful Fiorina. Flying from 
tree to tree, he sang melancholy songs about 
her and himself, and wished he were dead 
many a time. 

The fairy Soussio sent back Troutina to her 
mother, who was furious. “Fiorina shall 
repent having pleased King Charming!” cried 
she; and dressing her own daughter in rich 
garments, with a gold crown on her head, and 
King Charming’s ring on her finger, she took 
her to the tower. “Fiorina, your sister is 
come to see and bring you marriage presents, 
for she is now the wife of King Charming. ’ 

Fiorina, doubting no more her lover’s loss, 
fell down in a swoon, and the queen immedi- 
ately went to tell her father that she was mad 
-for love, and must be watched closely lest she 
should in some way disgrace herself. The 
king said her stepmother might do with her 
exactly what she pleased. 

When the princess recovered from her swoon, 
she began to weep, and wept all night long, 
sitting at the open window of her tower. The 
bluebird, who kept continually flying about the 
palace, but only at night time, lest any one 
should see him, happened to come and perch 
upon a tall cypress opposite the window, 
and heard her, but it was too dark to see who 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 163 


she was, and at daylight she shut the win- 
dow. 

Next night, it was broad moonlight, and then 
he saw clearly the figure of a young girl, weep- 
ing sore, and knew that it was his beloved 
Fiorina. 

When she paused in her lamentations, “Ador- 
able princess,"' said he, “why do you mourn? 
Your troubles are not without remedy." 

“Who speaks to me so gently?" asked she. 

“A king, who loves you, and will never love 
any other." 

So saying he flew up to the window, and at 
first frightened the princess very much, for she 
could not understand such an extraordinary 
thing as a bird who talked in words like a 
man, yet kept still the piping voice of a night- 
ingale. But soon she began stroking his 
beautiful plumage and caressing him. 

“Who are you, charming bird?" 

“You have spoke my name. I am King 
Charming, condemned to be a bird for seven 
years, because I will not renounce you." 

“Ah! do not deceive me. I know you have 
married Troutina. She came to visit me with 
your diamonds on her neck, and your ring on 
her finger, wearing the golden crown and royal 


164 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


mantel which you had given her, while I was 
laden with iron chains.” 

“It is all false,” sang the bluebird, and told 
her his whole story, which comforted her so 
much that she thought no more of her misfor- 
tunes. They conversed till daybreak, and 
premised faithfully every night to meet again 
thus. 

Meantime the princess could not sleep for 
thinking of her blue bird. “Suppose sports- 
men should shoot him, or eagles and kites attack 
him, and vultures devour him just as if he were 
a mere bird and not a great king? What 
should I do if I saw his poor feathers scattered 
on the ground, and knew that he was no 
more?” So she grieved all day long. 

The beautiful blue bird, hid in a hollow tree, 
spent the hours in thinking of his princess. 
“How happy I am to have found her again, 
and found her so engaging and so sweet. ’ ’ And 
as he wished to pay her all the attentions that 
a lover delights in, he flew to his own kingdom, 
entered his palace by an open window, and 
sought for some diamond ear-rings, which he 
brought back in his beak, and when night 
came, offered them to Fiorina. So night after 
night he brought her something beautiful, and 
they talked together till day, when he flew back 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 165 


to the hollow tree, where he sang her praises in 
a voice so sweet that passers-by thought it was 
not a bird but a spirit. Rumors went about 
that the place was haunted, and no one would 
go near the spot. Thus for two years Fiorina 
spent her time, and never once regretted her 
captivity. Her blue bird visited her every 
night, and they loved one another dearly. And 
though she saw nobody and he lived in the 
hollow of a tree, they always found plenty to 
say to one another. 

The malicious queen tried with all her might 
to get Troutina married, but in vain. Nobody 
would have her. “If it were Fiorina, now,” 
said the kings, or the kings’ ambassadors, “we 
should be most happy to sign the contract.” 

“That girl thwarts us still,” said the queen. 
“She must have some secret correspondence 
with foreign suitors. But we will find her out 
and punish her. ” 

The mother and daughter finished talking so 
late that it was midnight before they reached 
Fiorina’s apartment. She had dressed herself 
as usual, with the utmost care, to please her 
bluebird, who liked to see her lovely ; and she 
had adorned herself with all the pretty things 
he had given her. He perched on the window- 
sill, and she sat at the window, and they were 


166 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


singing together a duet, which the queen heard 
outside. She burst the door open, and rushed 
into the chamber. 

The first thing Fiorina did was to open her 
little window that the blue bird might fly 
away. But he would not. He had seen the 
queen and Troutina, and though he could not 
defend his princess, he refused to leave her. 
The two rushed upon her like furies. Her 
wonderful beauty and her splendid jewels 
startled them. “Whence came all these orna- 
ments?” cried they. 

“I found them, ” replied Fiorina, and refused 
to answer more. 

“Some one has given them to you that you 
might join in treason against your father and 
the kingdom.” 

“Am I likely to do this? I, a poor princess, 
kept in captivity for two years, with you as 
my jailer?” 

‘ ‘ In captivity, ’ ’ repeated the queen. 4 4 Why, 
then, do you dress yourself so fine and adorn 
your chamber with flowers?” 

C4 I have leisure enough: I may just as well 
spend some of it in adorning myself, instead of 
bemoaning my misfortune— innocent as I am.” 

4 4 Innocent, indeed!” cried the queen, and 
began to search the room. In it she found all 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 167 


King Charming’s presents — diamonds, rubies, 
emeralds, amethysts — in short, jewels without 
end. Meantime, from the window the blue 
bird, who had the eye of a lynx, sang aloud, 
“Beware, Fiorina!” 

“You see madam,” said Fiorina, “even the 
spirits of the air take pity upon me.” 

“I see that you are in league with demons; 
but your father shall judge you;” and very 
much frightened, the queen left her and went 
to hold counsel with Troutina as to what was 
to be done. They agreed to put in Fiorina’s 
chamber a waiting-maid, who should watch 
her from morning till night. When the prin- 
cess learned this she was in great grief. 

“Alas!” cried she, “I can no longer talk with 
my bird who loved me so ; and our love was 
consolation for all our misfortunes. What will 
he do? What shall I do?” And she melted 
into floods of tears. 

She dared not open the window, though she 
heard continually his wings fluttering round it. 
For more than a month she waited; but the 
serving maid watched her night and day. At 
last, overcome with weariness, the girl fell 
asleep, and then Fiorina opened her little 
window, and sang in low a voice : 


168 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“Bine bird, blue bird, 

Come to my side.” 

The blue bird flew to the window-sill, and 
they lavished on one another a hundred 
caresses, and talked together till dawn. Next 
night it happened the same, till they began to 
hope that the waiting-maid, who seemed to 
enjoy her sleep so much, would sleep every 
night to come. But on the third night, hear- 
ing a noise, she wakened, and saw by the light 
of the moon the Princess Fiorina sitting at the 
window with a beautiful blue bird, who warbled 
in her ear and touched her gently with his beak. 
The spy listened and heard all their conversa- 
tion, very much astonished that a princess 
could be so fond of a mere bird. When day 
came she related all to the queen and Troutina, 
who concluded that the bird could be no other 
than King Charming. They sent the girl back, 
told her to express no curiosity, but to feign 
sleep, and to go to bed earlier than usual. 
Then the poor deceived princess opened her 
little window, and sang her usual song: 

“Blue bird, blue bird, 

Come to my side.” 

But no blue bird appeared. The queen had 
caused sharp knives to be hung outside the 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 16£ 


hollow of the tree: he flew against them and 
cut his feet and wings, till he dropped down, 
covered with blood. 

“Oh, Fiorina, come to my help!” sighed he. 
“But she is dead, I know, and I will die also.” 

At that moment, his friend, the magician, 
who since he had seen the chariot with flying 
frogs return without King Charming, had gone 
eight times round the world in search of him, 
made his ninth journey, and came to the tree 
where the poor blue bird lay, calling out, 
“King Charming, King Charming!” 

The king recognized the voice of his best 
friend : whereupon the magician took him out 
of the hollow tree, healed his wounds, and 
heard all his history. He persuaded King 
Charming that, overcome with fear and cruel 
treatment, Fiorina must have betwayed him. 
“Then do as you will with me!” cried the king. 
“Put me into a cage and take me back with 
you. I shall at least be safe there for the five 
years that are to be endured. ’ ’ 

“But,” said the enchanter, “can you remain 
five years in so undignified a position? And 
you have enemies who will assuredly seize on 
your kingdom.” 

“Why can I not return and govern it as 
before?” 


170 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“I fear/’ replied his friend, “that the thing 
is difficult. Who would obey a blue bird?” 

“Ah, that is too true!” cried the king sadly. 
“People only judge by the outside.” 

Meantime Fiorina, overcome with grief, fell 
dangerously sick, and in her sickness she kept 
singing, day and night, her little song: 

“Blue bird, blue bird, 

Come to my side.” 

But no one regarded her. 

At last a sudden change took place in her 
fortunes. The king, her father, died and the 
people, who knew she was his heir, began to 
inquire, with one accord, where was the 
Princess Fiorina? They assailed the palace in 
crowds, demanding her for their sovereign. 
The riot became so dangerous that Troutina 
and her mother fled away to the fairy Soussio. 
Then the populace stormed the tower, rescued 
the sick and almost dying princess, and crowned 
her as their queen. 

The exceeding care that was taken of her, 
and her longing to live in order to see again 
her blue bird, restored Fiorina’s health and 
gave her strength to call a council and arrange 
all the affairs of her kingdom. Then she 
departed by night, and alone, to go over the 
world in search of her blue bird. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 171 

The magician, who was King Charming’s 
friend, went to the fairy Soussio, whom he 
knew, for they had quarreled and made it up 
again, as fairies and magicians do, many times 
within the last five or six hundred years. She 
received him civilly and asked him what he 
wanted. He tried to make a bargain with her, 
but could effect nothing, unless King Charm- 
ing would consent to marry Troutina. The 
enchanter found this bride so ugly that he 
could not advise. Still, the blue bird had run 
so many risks in his cage : the nail it was hung 
upon had broken, and the king suffered much 
in the fall ; Minette, the cat, had glowered at 
him with her green eyes; the attendants had 
forgotten his hemp-seed and his water-glass, 
so that he was half-dying of hunger and thirst ; 
and a monkey had plucked at his feathers 
through the wires as disrespectfully as if, 
instead of a king, he had been a linnet or a jay. 
Worse than all, his next heir spread reports of 
his death, and threatened to seize on his throne. 

Under these circumstances the magician 
thought it best to agree with Soussio that King 
Charming should be restored to his kingdom 
and his natural shape for six months, on con- 
dition that Troutina should remain in his pal- 
ace, and that he should try to like her and 


172 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


marry her. If not, he was to become again a 
blue bird. So he found himself once more 
King Charming, and as charming as ever ; but 
would rather have been a bird and near his 
beloved, than a king in the society of Troutina. 
The enchanter gave him the best reasons for 
what had been done, and advised him to 
occupy himself with the affairs of his kingdom 
and people ; but he thought less of these things 
than how to escape from the horror of marry- 
ing Troutina. 

Meanwhile the Queen Fiorina, in a peasant’s 
dress, with a straw hat on her head, and a can- 
vas sack on her shoulder, began her journey ; 
sometimes on horseback, sometimes on foot, 
sometimes by sea, sometimes by land, wander- 
ing evermore after her beloved King Charm- 
ing. One day, stopping beside a fountain, she 
let her hair fall loose, and dipped her weary 
feet in the cool water, when an old woman, 
bent, and leaning on a stick, came by. 

“My pretty maiden, what are you doing here 
all alone?” 

“Good mother, ” replied the queen, “I have 
too many troubles to be pleasant company for 
anybody. ’ ’ 

“Tell me your troubles, and I may be able 
to soften them. ” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 173 


Fiorina obeyed and told her whole history, 
and how she was traveling over the world in 
search of the blue bird. The little woman 
listened attentively, and then, in the twinkling 
of an eye, became, instead of an old woman, 
a beautiful fairy. 

“Incomparable Fiorina, the king you seek is 
no longer a bird ; my sister Soussio has restored 
him to his proper shape, and he reigns in his 
own kingdom. Do not afflict yourself ; happi- 
ness will yet be yours. Take these four eggs, 
and whenever you are in trouble, break them, 
and see what ensues.” So saying the fairy 
vanished. 

Fiorina, greatly comforted, put the eggs in 
her sack and turned her steps toward the coun- 
try of King Charming. She walked eight days 
and nights without stopping, and then came to 
a mountain made entirely of ivory, and nearly 
perpendicular. Despairing of ever climbing 
it, she sank down at the foot, prepared to die 
there, when she bethought herself of the eggs. 
“Let me see,” said she, “if the fairy has de- 
ceived me or not.” So she broke one, and 
inside it were little hooks of gold, which she 
fitted on her feet, and hands, and by means of 
which she climbed the mountain with ease. 
Arrived at the summit she found new diffi- 


174 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


culties; for the valley below was one large 
smooth mirror, in which sixty thousand women 
stood admiring themselves. They had need, 
for the charm of the mirror was that each saw 
herself therein, not as she was, but as she 
wished to be; and the grimaces they made 
were enough to cause a person to die of laugh- 
ter. Not one of them had ever gained the top 
of the mountain ; and when they saw Fiorina 
there, they all burst into angry outcries, “How 
has this woman got up the hill? If she de- 
scends upon our mirror, her first footstep will 
crack it into a thousand pieces.’* 

The queen, uncertain what to do, broke the 
second egg, and there flew out two pigeons 
harnessed to a fine chariot, in which Fiorina 
mounted, and descended lightly over the mir- 
ror to the valley’s foot. “Now, my pretty 
pigeons,” said she, “will you convey me to the 
palace of King Charming? ” The obedient 
pigeons did so, flying day and night till they 
reached the city gates; when the queen dis- 
missed them with a sweet kiss, which was 
worth more than her crown. 

How her heart beat as she entered and 
begged to see the king! “You!” cried the 
servants mocking. “Little peasant-girl, your 
eyes are not half good enough to see the king. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 175 


Besides, he is going to-morrow to the temple 
with the Princess Troutina, whom he has at 
last agreed to marry. ’ ’ 

Fiorina sat down on a doorstep and hid here 
face under her straw hat and her drooping hair. 
“Alas!” she cried, “my blue bird has forsaken 
me.” 

She neither ate nor slept, but rose with the 
dawn and pushed her way through the guards 
to the temple, where she saw two thrones, one 
for King Charming, and the other for Troutina. 
They arrived shortly ; he more charming and 
she more repulsive than ever. Knitting her 
brows, Troutina exclaimed, “What creature is 
that who dares approach so near my golden 
throne?” 

“I am a poor peasant- girl, ” said Fiorina. 
“I come from afar to sell you curiosities.” 
And she took out of her sack the emerald 
bracelet which the blue bird had given her. 

“These are pretty trinkets,” said Troutina; 
and going up to the king she asked him what 
he thought of them. At sight of the ornaments 
he turned pale, remembering those he had 
given to Fiorina. 

“These bracelets are worth half my king- 
dom ; I did not think there had been more than 
one pair in the world. ’ ’ 


176 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

“Then I will buy these,” said Troutina; but 
Fiorina refused to sell them for money: the 
price she asked was permission to sleep a night 
in the chamber of echoes. 

“As you will; your bargains are cheap 
enough,” replied Troutina, laughing: and 
when she laughed she showed teeth like the 
tusks of a wild boar. 

Now the king, when he was a blue bird, had 
informed Fiorina about this chamber of echoes, 
where every word spoken could be heard in his 
own chamber; she could not have chosen a 
better way of reproaching him for his infidel- 
ity. But vain were her sobs and complainings ; 
the king had taken opium to lull his grief; he 
slept soundly all night long. Next day, Fior- 
ina was in great disquietude. Could he have 
really heard her, and been indifferent to her 
sorrows; or had he not heard her at all? She 
determined to buy another night in the cham- 
ber of echoes; but she had no more jewels to 
tempt Troutina; so she broke the third egg. 
Out of it came a chariot of polished steel, inlaid 
with gold, drawn by six green mice, the coach- 
man being a rose-colored rat, and the postilion 
a gray one. Inside the carriage sat litle pup- 
pets, who behaved themselves just like live 
ladies and gentlemen. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 177 


When Troutina went to walk in the palace 
garden, Fiorina awaited her in a green valley, 
and made the mice gallop, and the ladies and 
gentlemen bow, till the princess was delighted, 
and ready to buy the curiosity at any price. 
Again Fiorina exacted permission to pass the 
night in the chamber of echoes ; and again the 
king, undisturbed by her lamentations, slept 
without waking till dawn. 

The third day, one of the palace valets, pas- 
sing her by, said, “You stupid peasant-girl, it 
is well the king takes opium every night, or 
you would disturb him by that terrible sobbing 
of yours. ’ ’ 

“Does he so?” said the queen, now compre- 
hending all. “Then if you will promise to- 
night to keep the opium cup out of his way, 
these pearls and diamonds,’ * and she took a 
handful of them from her sack, “shall assuredly 
be yours.’’ 

The valet promised ; and then Fiorina broke 
her fourth egg, out of which came a pie com- 
posed of birds, which, though they had been 
plucked, baked, and made ready for the table, 
sang as beautifully as birds that are alive. 
Troutina, charmed with this marvelous nov- 
elty, bought it at the same price as the rest, 
adding generously a small piece of gold. 

12 Brownie 


178 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


When all the palace were asleep, Fiorina for 
the last time, hoping King Charming would 
hear her, called upon him with all sorts of 
tender expressions, reminding him of their 
former vows, and their two years of happiness. 
“What have I done to thee, that thou shouldst 
forge me and marry Troutina?” sobbed she; 
and the king, who this time was wide awake, 
heard her. He could not make out whose voice 
it was, or whence it came, but it somehow 
reminded him of his dearest Fiorina, whom he 
had never ceased to love. He called his valet, 
inquired who was sleeping in the chamber of 
echoes, and heard that it was the little peasant- 
girl who had sold to Troutina the emerald 
bracelet. Then he rose up, dressed himself 
hastily, and went in search of her. She was 
sitting mournfully on the floor, with her hair 
hiding her face, and her eyes swollen with 
tears ; but he knew at once his faithful Fiorina. 
He fell on his knees before her, covered her 
hands with kisses, and they embraced and 
wept together. For what was the good of all 
their love when they were still in the power of 
the fairy Soussio? 

But at this moment appeared the friendly 
enchanter, with a fairy still greater than Sous- 
sio, the one who had given Fiorina the four 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 179 

eggs. They declared that their united power 
was stronger than Soussio’s, and that the lov- 
ers should be married without further delay. 

When this news reached Troutina, she ran to 
the chamber of echoes, and there beheld her 
beautiful rival, whom she had so cruelly 
afflicted. But the moment she opened her 
mouth to speak, her wicked tongue was 
silenced forever; for the magician turned her 
into a trout, which he flung out of the window 
into the stream that flowed through the castle 
garden. 

As for King Charming and Queen Fiorina, 
delivered out of all their sorrows, and given to 
one another, their joy was quite inexpressible, 
and it lasted to the end of their lives. 


THE JUNIPER-TREE. 


One or two thousand years ago, there was a 
rich man, who had a beautiful and pious wife ; 
they loved one another dearly, but they had no 
children. They wished and prayed for some 
night and day, but still they had none. In 
front of their house was a yard, where stood a 
juniper-tree, and under it the wife stood once 
in winter, and peeled an apple, and as she 
peeled the apple she cut her finger, and the 
blood fell on the snow. 

“Oh,” said she, sighing deeply and looking 
sorrowfully at the blood, “if I only had a child 
as red as blood and as white as snow!” 

While she spoke, she became quite happy; it 
seemed to her as if her wish would surely come 
to pass. Then she went into the house ; and 
a month passed, and the snow melted ; and two 
months, and the ground was green ; and three 
months, and the flowers came up out of the 
earth ; and four months, and all the trees in the 
wood burst forth ; and the green twigs all grew 
thickly together ; the little birds sang so that 
180 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE, 181 


the whole wood rang, and the blossoms fell 
from the trees. The fifth month passed, and 
she stood under the juniper-tree, and it smelled 
so beautiful, and her heart leaped with joy. 
She fell upon her knees, but could not speak. 
When the sixth month was gone, the fruit was 
large and ripe, and she was very quiet; the 
seventh month, she took the juniper-berries, 
ate them eagerly, and was sick and sorrowful; 
and the eighth month went by, and she called 
to her husband, and cried and said, “If I die 
bury me under the juniper-tree.” 

After this she was quite comforted and 
happy, till the next month was passed, and 
then she had a child as white as snow and as 
red as blood. When she beheld it, she was so 
glad that she died. 

Her husband buried her under the juniper- 
tree, and began to mourn very much; but 
after a little time he became calmer, and when 
he had wept a little more, he left off weeping 
entirely, and soon afterward he took another 
wife. 

The second wife brought him a daughter, but 
the child of the first wife was a little son, and 
was as red as blood and as white as snow. 
When the wife looked at her daughter, she 
loved her; but when she looked at the little 


182 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


boy, she hated him, and it seemed as if he were 
always in her way, and she was always think- 
ing how she could get all the property for her 
daughter. The Evil One possessed her so that 
she was quite angry with the little boy, and 
pushed him about from one corner to another, 
and cuffed him here and pinched him there, 
until the poor child was always in fear. When 
he came home from school, he could not find a 
quiet place to creep into. 

Once, when the woman went up to her room, 
her little daughter came up too, and said, 
“Mother give me an apple.” 

“Yes, my child,” said the woman, and gave 
her a beautiful apple out of the chest ; and the 
chest had a great heavy lid, with a great sharp 
iron lock. 

“Mother,” said the little daughter, “shall 
not brother have one too?” 

That vexed the woman, but she said, “Yes, 
when he comes from school.” 

And when she saw from the window that he 
was coming, it was just as if the Evil One 
came into her, and she snatched away the 
apple from her daughter, and said, “You shall 
not have one before your brother. ’ ’ 

Then she threw the apple into the chest and 
shut the lid close down. When the little boy 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 183 


came in at the door, the Evil One made her 
say kindly, “My son, will you have an apple?” 

Yet she looked so angry all the time, that 
the little boy said, “Mother, how dreadful you 
look! Yes, give me an apple.” 

Then she felt that she must speak to him. 
■“Come with me,” said she, and opened the lid; 
““pick out an apple for yourself.” 

And as the little boy stooped over the Evil 
One prompted her, and smash ! she banged the 
lid down, so that his head flew off and fell 
among the red apples. Then she was seized 
with terror, and thought, “Can I get rid of the 
blame of this?” So she went up to her room 
to her chest of drawers, and took out of the top 
drawer a white cloth, and placed the head on 
the neck again, and tied the handkerchief 
round it, so that one could see nothing, and set 
him before the door on a chair, and gave him 
the apple in his hand. 

Soon after, little Margery came to her 
mother, who stood by the kitchen fire, and had 
a pot of hot water before her, which she kept 
stirring round. 

“Mother,” said little Margery, “brother sits 
before the door and looks quite white, and has 
an apple in his hand ; I asked him to give me 


184 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


the apple, but he did not answer me, and I 
was frightened.’* 

“Go to him again,*’ said her mother, “and 
if he will not answer you give him a box on 
the ear.’’ 

Then Margery went and said, “Brother, give 
me the apple.’’ 

But he was silent, so she gave him a box on 
the ear, and the head fell down. 

She was frightened, and began to cry and 
sob, and ran to her mother, and said, “Oh, 
mother, I have knocked my brother’s head 
off!’’ and cried and cried, and would not be 
comforted. 

“Margery,” said her mother, “what have 
you done ! — but now be quiet, and no one will 
notice ; it cannot be helped now — we will cook 
him in vinegar. ’ ’ 

Then the mother took the little boy and 
chopped him in pieces, put him into the pot, 
and cooked him in vinegar. But Margery 
stood by, and cried and cried, and all her tears 
fell into the pot, so that the cookery did not 
want any salt. 

When the father came home and sat down 
to dinner, he said, “Where is my son?” 

The mother brought a great big dish of black 
soup, and Margery cried and cried without 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 185 


ceasing. Then the father said again, “Where 
is my son?” 

“Oh,” said the mother, “he is gone into the 
country to see his uncle, where he is going to 
stay awhile.” 

“What does he want there? And he has not 
even said good-by to me ! ’ ’ 

“Oh, he wished very much to go, and asked 
if he might remain away six weeks ; he is well 
taken care of there, you know.” 

“Well,” said the father, “lam sorry; for he 
ought to have bade me good-by.” 

After that he began to eat, and said, “Mar- 
gery, what are you crying for? Brother will 
be sure to come back. Oh, wife,” continued 
he, “how delicious this food tastes; give me 
some more.” And the more he ate, the more 
he wanted; and he said, “Give me more, you 
shall not have any of it ; I feel as if it were all 
mine.” And he ate and ate, throwing the 
bones under the table, till he had finished it 
all. 

But Margery went to her drawers, and took 
out of the bottom drawer her best silk hand- 
kerchief, and fetched out all the bones from 
under the table; she tied them up in the silk 
handkerchief, and took them out of doors, and 
shed bitter tears over them. Then she laid 


186 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

them under the juniper-tree in the green 
grass; and when she had put them there, she 
felt all at once quite happy, and did not cry 
any more. 

Soon the juniper began to move, and the 
twigs kept dividing and then closing, just as if 
the tree were clapping its hands for joy. After 
that there went up from it a sort of mist, and 
right in the center of the mist burned a fire, 
and out of the fire flew a beautiful bird, who, 
singing deliciously, rose up high in the air. 
When he was out of sight, the juniper- tree was 
just as it had been before, only the handker- 
chief with the bones was gone. But Margery 
felt quite pleased and happy, just as if her 
brother were still alive. And she went back 
merrily into the house to dinner. 

The bird flew away, sat himself on a gold- 
smith’s house, and began to sing: 

* ‘My mother, she killed me 
My father, he ate me ; 

My sister, little Margery, 

Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief. 

And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!* ** 

The goldsmith sat in his workshop, making 
a gold chain, but he heard the bird, which sat 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 187 


on his roof and sang, and he thought it very 
beautiful. He stood up, and as he went over 
the doorstep he lost one slipper. But he went 
right into the middle of the street, with one 
slipper and one sock on ; he had on his leather 
apron ; in one hand he carried the gold chain, 
and in the other the pinchers, while the sun 
shone brightly up the street. There he stood, 
and looked at the bird. 

“Bird,” said he, “how beautiful you can 
sing! Sing me that song again. ” 

“No,” said the bird, “I do not sing twice 
for nothing. Give me that gold chain, and I 
will si: y it rgain. ” 

“There,” said the goldsmith; “you shall 
have the gold chain — now sing me that song 
once more.” 

Then the bird came and took the gold chain 
in his right claw, and went and sat before the 
goldsmith, and sang: 

"My mother, she killed me; 

My father, he ate me , 

My sister, little Margery, 

Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief. 

And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!" 

Afterward he flew away to a shoemaker’s, 
and set himself on his roof, and sang: 


188 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


‘My mother, she killed me; 

My father, he ate me ; 

My sister, little Margery, 

Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief, 

And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!’* 

When the shoemaker heard it, he ran out of 
his door in his shirt-sleeves, looked toward his 
roof, and had to hold his hand over his eyes, 
so that the sun should not dazzle him. 

“Bird,” said he, “how beautifully you can 
sing!” And he called in at his door, “Wife, 
just come out; there is a bird here which can 
sing so beautifully. ’ ’ Then he called his daugh- 
ter and his workpeople, both boys and girls; 
they all came into the street, looked at the bird, 
and saw how handsome he was; for he had 
bright red and green feathers, and his neck 
shone like real gold, and his eyes twinkled in 
his head like stars. 

“Bird,” said the shoemaker, “now sing me 
that song again. ’ * 

“No,” replied the bird, “I do not sing twice 
for nothing; you must give me something.” 

“Wife,” said the man, “go to the garret: on 
the highest shelf there stands a pair of red 
shoes — bring them here.” 

The wife went and fetched the shoes. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 189 


“There," said the man, “now sing me that 
song again. " 

Then the bird came and took the shoes in 
his left claw and flew back on the roof, and 
sang: 

“My mother, she killed me; 

My father, he ate me ; 

My sister, little Margery, 

Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief, 

And laid tnem under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I." 

And when he had finished he flew away, with 
the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his 
left. He flew far away to a mill, and the mill 
went “Clipper, clapper, clipper, clapper, clip- 
per, clapper." And in the mill there sat 
twenty millers, who chopped a stone, and 
chopped, “Hick, hack, hick, hack, hick, hack;" 
and the mill went “Clipper, clapper, clipper, 
clapper, clipper, clapper." 

The bird flew up, and sat in a lime-tree that 
grew before the mill, and sang: 

“My mother, she killed me;" 

then one man stopped; 


My father, he ate me ;” 


190 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

then two more stopped and listened; 

“My sister, little Margery,” * 

then four more stopped ; 

"Gathered tip all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief,’* 

now only eight more were chopping; 

"And laid them under” 

now only five ; 

"the juniper- tree:” 

now only one. 

"Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!” 

Then the last man stopped too, and heard 
the last word. 

“Bird,” said he, “how beautifully you sing! 
Please to sing me that song once more.” 

“No,” answered the bird, “I do not sing 
twice for nothing ; give me the millstone, and 
I will sing it again. ’ ' 

“‘Yes,” said he, “if it belonged to me only, 
you should have it.” 

“Yes,” cried all the others, “if he sings it 
again, he shall have it.” 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 191 


Then the bird came down, and all the twenty 
millers took poles, and lifted the stone up. 
The bird stuck his neck through the hole in the 
millstone, and put it on like a collar, and flew 
back to the tree, and sang: 

“My mothei, she killed me; 

My father, he ate me ; 

My sister, little Margery, 

Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief, 

And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I.” 

And when he had done singing, he opened 
his wings, and though he had in his right claw 
the chain, in his left the shoes, and round his 
neck the millstone, he flew far away to his 
father’s house. 

In the room sat the father, the mother, and 
little Margery at dinner; and the father said, 
“Oh, how happy I am! altogether joyful.” 

“For me,” said the mother, “I feel quite 
frightened, as if a dreadful storm was coming. ” 

But Margery sat, and cried and cried. 

Then there came the bird flying, and as he 
perched himself on the roof, “Oh,” said the 
father, “I feel so happy, and the sun shines 
out of doors so beautifully! It is just as if I 
were going to see an old friend.” 


192 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“No," said the wife; “I am so frightened, 
my teeth chatter, and it feels as if there was a 
fire in my veins;’’ and she tore open her dress. 
But Margery sat in a corner, and cried, hold- 
ing her apron before her eyes, till the apron 
was quite wet through. 

The bird perched upon the juniper-tree, and 
sang: 

“My mother, she killed me; 

Then the mother stopped up her ears, and 
shut her eyes tight, and did not want to see or 
hear ; but there was a roaring in her ears like 
the loudest thunder, and her eyes burned and 
flashed like lightning. 

My father, he ate me ; 

“Oh, wife,’’ said the man, “look at that 
beautiful bird ! he sings so splendidly. And 
the sun shines so warm, and there is a smell 
like real cinnamon!’* 

'My sister, little Margery,” 

Then Margery laid her head on her knee, 
and sobbed out loud; but the man said, “I 
shall go out — I must look at the bird quite 
close.’’ 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 193 


“Oh, do not go,” said the wife; “it seems to 
me as if the whole house shook, and was in 
flames. ” 

But the man went out and watched the bird, 
which still went on singing: 

“Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief, 

And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywitt! what a beautiful bird am I!” 

After that the bird let the gold chain fall, 
and it fell right on to the man’s neck, fitting 
exactly round it. He went in and said, “See 
what a beautiful bird that is — it has given me 
such a splendid gold chain!” 

But the wife was frightened, and fell flat 
down on the floor, and her cap dropped off her 
head. 

Then the bird sang again : 

“My mother, she killed me;” 

“Oh, that I were a thousand feet under the 
earth, so that I might not hear!” 

“My father, he ate me;” 

Then she fell down, as if she was dead. 

“My sister little Margery,” 

13 Brownie 


194 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


“Oh!” said Margery, “I will go out too, and 
see if the bird will give me anything. ” 

"Gathered up all my bones, 

Tied them in a silk handkerchief," 

And the shoes were thrown down. 

"And laid them under the juniper-tree: 

Kywitt! kywit! what a beautiful bird am I!" 

Then Margery was very joyful; she put on 
the new red shoes, and danced and jumped 
about. “Oh,” said she, “I was so unhappy 
when I came out and now I am so happy! 
That is a wonderful bird ; he has given me a 
pair of red shoes. ” 

“For me,” cried the wife, and she jumped 
up, and her hair stood on end like flames of 
fire,” “I feel as if the world were come to an 
end ; I will go out — perhaps I shall feel easier. * ’ 

But as she went out of the door — smash ! — 
the bird threw the millstone on her head, and 
she was crushed to pieces. 

The father and Margery heard it and rushed 
out to see what had happened : there was a 
great flame and smoke rising up from the place, 
and when that was gone, there stood the little 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 195 


brother all alive again — as if he had never 
died. He took his father and Margery by the 
hand, and they were all three quite happy, and 
went into the house to dinner. 


i 


i 


THE YELLOW DWARF. 


There was once a queen, who had been the 
mother of several children, but all were dead 
except one daughter, of whom she was exces- 
sively fond, humoring and indulging her in all 
her ways and wishes. This princess was so 
extremely beautiful that she was called All- 
Fair, and twenty kings were, at one time, pay- 
ing their addresses to her. She had so many 
lovers, indeed, that she did not know which to 
choose, and refused them all. Her mother, 
being advanced in years, was anxious to see 
her married and settled before she died ; but as 
no entreaties could prevail, she determined to 
go to the desert fairy to ask advice concerning 
her stubborn daughter. 

Now, this fairy being guarded by two fierce 
lions, the queen made a cake of millet, sugar- 
candy, and crocodiles’ eggs, in order to appease 
their fury and pass by them ; and having thus 
provided herself, she set out. After traveling 
some time she found herself weary, and lying 
down under a tree fell asleep. When she 
196 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 197 


awoke, she heard the roaring of the lions which 
guarded the fairy, and on looking for her cake 
she found it was gone. This threw her into 
the utmost agony, as she felt sure she should 
be devoured; when, hearing somebody ap- 
proach, she raised her eyes, and saw in a tree 
a little yellow man half a yard high, picking 
and eating oranges. 

“Ah! queen,” said the yellow dwarf, for so 
he was called on account of his complexion, 
and the orange-tree in which he lived, “how 
will you escape the lions? There is but one 
way ; I know what business brought you here ; 
promise me your daughter in marriage and I 
will save you. ’ ’ 

The queen, though she could not look with- 
out horror upon so frightful a figure, was 
forced to consent; and having agreed to the 
terms proposed, she instantly found herself in 
her own palace, and all that had passed seemed 
much like a dream : nevertheless, she was so 
thoroughly persuaded of the reality of it that 
she became melancholy. 

The young princess being unable to learn the 
cause of her mother’s dejection, resolved in 
her turn to go and inquire of the desert fairy; 
and, accordingly, having prepared a cake for 
the lions, she also set off on the same journey. 


198 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

It happened that All-Fair took exactly the 
route her mother had done before her; and 
coming to the fatal tree which was loaded with 
oranges, she felt inclined to pick some ; there- 
fore, laying down her basket, in which she car- 
ried the cake, she plentifully indulged herself 
with the delicious fruit. 

The lions now began to roar; All-Fair, look- 
ing for her cake, was thrown into the utmost 
despair to find it gone ; and as she was lament- 
ing her deplorable situation, the yellow dwarf 
presented himself to her with these words: 
“Lovely princess, dry your tears, and hear 
what I am going to say. You need not pro- 
ceed to the desert fairy to know the reason of 
your mother’s indisposition — it is this: she is 
ungenerous enough to repent having promised 
you, her only daughter, tome in marriage ’’ 

“How!” interrupted the princess; “my 
mother promised me to you in marriage ; you 
— such a fright as you!” 

“None of your scoffs,” returned the yellow 
dwarf; “I warn you not to rouse my anger. 
If you will promise to marry me, I will be the 
tenderest and most loving husband in the 
world; if not, save yourself from the lions if 
you can.” The princess, overcome with ter- 
ror, gave the promise ; but such was the agony 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 199 


of her mind that she fell into a swoon, and 
when she recovered, she found herself in her 
own bed, finely adorned with ribbons, with a 
ring of a single red hair so fastened round her 
finger that it could not be got off. 

This adventure had the same effect upon 
All-Fair as the former one had had upon her 
mother. She grew melancholy, which was 
remarked and wondered at by the whole court. 
The best way to divert her, they thought 
would be to urge her to marry; which the 
princess, who was now become less obstinate 
on that point than formerly, consented to. 
Trusting that such a pygmy as the yellow 
dwarf would not dare to contend with so gal- 
lant a person as the king of the golden mines, 
she fixed upon that prince for her husband. 
He was exceedingly rich and powerful, and 
loved her to distraction. The most superb 
preparations were made for the nuptials, and 
the happy day was fixed when, as they were 
proceeding to the ceremony, they saw moving 
toward them a box, upon which sat an old 
woman remarkable for her ugliness. 

“Hold, queen and princess!” cried she, knit- 
ting her brows; “remember the promises you 
have both made to my friend the yellow 
dwarf. I am the desert fairy; and unless All- 


200 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


Fair consent to marry him, I solemnly swear to 
burn my crutch. ’’ 

The queen and princess were struck almost 
motionless by this unexpected address of the 
fairy; but the prince of the golden mines was 
exceeding angry, and holding his sword to her 
throat, he said, “Fly, wretch! or thy malice 
shall cost thee thy life. ” 

No sooner had he uttered these words than 
the top of the box flying off, out came the yel- 
low dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat. 
Placing himself between the king and the fairy, 
he exclaimed, “Rash youth! thy rage shall be 
leveled at me, not at the desert fairy. I am 
thy rival, and claim thy princess, who is fast 
bound to me by her own promise, her mother’s 
and the single red hair that you see round her 
finger. ’’ 

This so enraged the king that he cried out, 
“Contemptible creature! wert thou worthy of 
notice, I would sacrifice thee for thy presump- 
tion .’ 4 

The yellow dwarf, clapping spurs to his cat 
and drawing a cutlass, now defied the king to 
combat; and down they went into the court- 
yard. The sun was immediately turned as red 
as blood, the air became dark, it thundered 
heavily, and the flashes of lightning discovered 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 201 

two giants vomiting fire on each side of the 
yellow dwarf. The king behaved with such 
undaunted courage as to give the dwarf great 
trouble; but he was dismayed when he saw 
the desert fairy, mounted on a winged griffin 
and with her head covered with snakes, strike 
the princess so hard with a lance that she fell 
into the queen’s arms, covered with blood. 
He immediately left the combat, to go to the 
relief of his beloved, but the dwarf was too 
quick for him ; and flying on his Spanish cat to 
the balcony where she was, he took her from 
her mother’s arms, leaped with her upon the 
top of the palace, and immediately disappeared. 

As the king stood confused and astonished 
at this strange adventure, he suddenly found a 
mist before his eyes and felt himself lifted up 
in the air by some extraordinary power; for 
the desert fairy had fallen in love with him. 
To secure him for herself, therefore, she car- 
ried him to a frightful cavern, hoping he would 
there forget All- Fair. But finding this scheme 
ineffectual, she resolved to carry him to a place 
altogether as pleasant as the other was terrible ; 
and accordingly placed him in a chariot drawn 
by swans. In passing through the air, he was 
unspeakably surprised to see his beloved prin- 
cess in a castle of polished steel, leaning her 


202 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


head on one hand, and wiping away her tears 
with the other. She happened to look up, 
and had the mortification to see the king sit- 
ting by the fairy, who then, by her art, made 
herself appear extremely beautiful. Had not 
the king been sensible of the fairy’s power, he 
would certainly have tried to free himself from 
her by some means or other; but he knew it 
would be in vain, and therefore made believe 
to have a liking for her. At last they came to 
a stately palace, fenced on one side by walls of 
emeralds, and on the other by a boisterous sea. 
The king, by pretending an attachment to the 
fairy, obtained the liberty to walk by himself 
on the shore. There, one day, he heard a 
voice, and presently after was surprised by the 
appearance of a mermaid, who, swimming up 
to him with a pleasing smile, spoke to this 
effect: “Oh, king of the golden mines, I well 
know all that has befallen you and the Princess 
All-Fair. Do not suspect this to be a contriv- 
ance of the fairy to try you, for I am an invet- 
erate enemy both to her and the yellow dwarf ; 
therefore, if you will place confidence in me, I 
will lend you my assistance to procure the 
release, not only of yourself, but of All-Fair 
also. ’ ’ 

The overjoyed king promised to do whatever 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 203 


the mermaid should direct, and seating himself 
by her desire upon her fish’s tail, they sailed 
away together over the rolling sea. 

When they had sailed sometime, “Now,” 
said the mermaid to the king, “we are ap- 
proaching the place where your princess is 
kept prisoner by the yellow dwarf. You will 
have many enemies to fight before you can 
come to her ; take, therefore, this sword, with 
which you may overcome everything, provided 
you never let it go out of your hand. ” 

The king returned her all the thanks that 
the most grateful heart could suggest; and the 
mermaid landed and took leave of him, prom- 
ising him further assistance when necessary. 
The king boldly advanced, and meeting with 
two terrible sphinxes, laid them dead at his 
feet with the sword. Next he attacked six 
dragons that opposed him, and dispatched 
them also. Then he met twenty-four nymphs, 
crowned with garlands of flowers, at the sight 
of whom he stopped, being unwilling to destroy 
so much beauty; when he heard a voice say, 
“Strike! strike! or you lose you princess for- 
ever!” So he threw himself into the midst of 
the nymphs and soon dispersed them. 

Presently he came to the castle, where was 
imprisoned the Princess All-Fair. “Oh, my 


204 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


princess,” exclaimed he, “behold your faithful 
lover!” 

“Faithful lover!” she replied, drawing her- 
self back. “Did I not see you passing through 
the air with a beautiful nymph? were you 
faithful then?” 

”Yes, ” replied the king, ”1 was. That was 
the detested desert fairy, who was carrying me 
to a place where I must have languished out 
all my days, had it not been for a kind mermaid, 
by whose assistance it is that I am now come 
to release you.” Having uttered these words, 
he threw himself at her feet ; but catching hold 
of her gown he unfortunately let go the magic 
sword, which the yellow dwarf no sooner dis- 
covered than, leaping from behind a shrub, 
where he had been concealed, he ran and seized 
it. By two cabalistical words he then conjured 
up a couple of giants, who laid the king in 
irons. 

“Now,” said the dwarf, °my rival’s fate is 
in my own hands; however, if he will consent 
to my marriage with the Princess All-Fair, he 
shall have his life and liberty. ’ ’ 

“No,” said the king, “I scorn thy favor on 
such terms.” 

The dwarf was so exasperated by this reply 
that he instantly stabbed the king to the hearty 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 205 


The disconsolate princess stood a moment pet- 
rified, and then exclaimed, “Thou hideous 
creature ! since entreaties could not avail thee, 
perhaps thou now reliest upon force ; but thou 
shalt be disappointed. I will die for the love 
I have for the king of the golden mines!” and 
so saying she sank down upon his body and 
expired without a sigh. 

Thus ended the fate of these two faithful 
lovers, whom the mermaid very much regret- 
ted ; but as all her power lay in the sword, she 
could only change them into two palm trees, 
which, preserving a constant and mutual affec- 
tion, still fondly unite their branches together. 


BROTHER AND SISTER. 


A brother took his sister by the hand and 
said, “Since our mother is dead we have no 
more happy hours: our stepmother beats us 
every day, and whenever we come near her 
she kicks us away. She gives us hard crusts 
and nasty scraps to eat, and the dog under the 
table fares better than we do, for he does some- 
times get a nice bit thrown to him. It would 
break our mother's heart if she knew it! 
Come, we will go out into the wide world 
together.” 

They went along the whole day through 
meadows, over rocks and stones, and when it 
rained the little sister said, “Heaven and our 
hearts are crying together.” In the evening 
they came to a great wood, and were so worn 
out with grief, hunger, and weariness that 
they sat down in a hollow tree and went to 
sleep. 

The next morning, when they awoke, the 
sun was already high in the heavens, and shone 
down very hot on the tree. Upon which said 
206 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 207 


the brother, “Sister, I am thirsty; I would go 
and have a drink if I knew where there was a 
spring: I think I can hear one trickling.” He 
got up, took his sister by the hand, and they 
went to look for the spring. 

The wicked stepmother, however, who was 
a witch and well knew how the children had 
run away, had crept after them secretly, in the 
way witches do, and had bewitched all the 
springs in the wood. When they had found a 
spring that was dancing brightly over the 
stones, the brother stooped down to drink ; but 
his sister heard a voice in its murmur, which 
said, “Whoever drinks of me will become a 
tiger. ” Eagerly the little sister cried, “I pray 
thee, brother, do not drink, lest thou become a 
wild beast and tear me to pieces.” 

The brother did not drink, although he was 
so thirsty, but said, “I will wait for the next 
spring.” When they came to the next, the 
little sister heard it say, “Who drinks of me 
will become a wolf; who drinks of me will 
become a wolf!” and cried out, “Oh, brother, 
I pray thee do not drink, lest thou become a 
wolf and eat me up.” 

The brother did not drink, but said, “I will 
wait till I come to the next spring, but then I 


208 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

must drink, say what you will, for my thirst is 
getting unbearable.” 

And when they came to the third spring, the 
little sister heard a voice in its murmur, say- 
ing, “Whoever drinks of me will become a 
roe,” and she cried, “Oh, brother, do not 
drink, I pray thee, lest thou become a roe and 
run away from me.” But the brother had 
already knelt down by the stream, stooped 
down, and drank of the water : and as soon as 
the first drop touched his lips, there he lay — a 
white roe. 

The little sister cried over her poor bewitched 
brother, and the roe cried also as he rested 
mournfully beside her. At last the maiden 
said, “Never mind, dear roe, I will never for- 
sake you.” So she took off her golden garter 
and put it round the roe’s neck, then pulled 
some rushes and wove them into a cord. To 
this she tied the little animal and led him on, 
and they both went still deeper into the wood. 
When they had gone a long, long way, they 
came at last to a little house, into which the 
maiden peeped; and as it was empty, she 
thought, “Here we may stay and live.” So 
she made a pretty bed of leaves and moss for 
the roe ; and every morning she went out and 
gathered roots, berries, and nuts for herself; 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 209 

and for the roe she brought tender grass, which 
he ate out of her hand, and played about and 
was very happy. In the evening, when the 
little sister was tired and had said her prayers, 
she laid her head upon the roe, who was her 
pillow, and went sweetly to sleep ; and if her 
brother had only kept his proper shape, they 
would have led a very happy life. 

They had lived alone in this way during a 
long time, when it happened that the king of 
the country held a great hunt in the forest. 
Through the trees might be heard the blowing 
of horns, the barking of dogs, and the joyous 
cries of the hunters, which when the little roe 
heard he was almost beside himself with 
delight. “Oh,” said he to his sister, “let me 
go and see the hunt; I can no longer refrain;” 
and he begged hard till she consented. 

“But,” said she, “when you return at even- 
ing I shall have shut my door against the wild 
hunstmen, and in order that I may know you, 
knock and say, ‘My little sister, let me in;’ but 
if 3'ou do not say so, I shall not open the door. ” 
Now off sprang the roe, and was so happy to 
find himself in the open air. The king and his 
huntsmen saw the beautiful beast and set off 
after him, but they could not catch him ; for 
when they thought they had certainly got him, 

14 Brownie 


210 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


he sprang over a bush and disappeared. When 
it was dark he galloped up to the little house, 
knocked, and cried, “My little sister, let me 
in. ’ ’ And when the door was opened he sprang 
in, and rested all night on his pretty little bed. 
Next morning the hunt began again, and when 
the roe heard the blast of the horns and the 
“Ho! ho!” of the hunters, he could not rest, 
and cried, “Sister, open the door; I must go.” 

His sister opened the door and said, “But 
mind you must be back in the evening and 
make your little speech, that I may let you 
in. ’ ’ 

When the king and his huntsmen saw the 
white roe with the gold band once more, they 
all rode after him, but he was too quick and 
agile for them. This chase lasted the whole 
day; at last, toward evening, the hunters sur- 
rounded him, and wounded him with an arrow 
in the foot, so that he was forced to limp and 
go slowly. One of the hunters, creeping softly 
after him to the little house, heard him say, 
“My sister, let me in,” and saw that the dooi 
was opened, and immediately shut to again ; so 
he went back to the king, and told him all he 
had seen and heard. 

“We will have another hunt to-morrow,” 
said the king. 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 211 

The little sister was greatly alarmed when 
she saw her white roe was wounded; she 
washed off the blood, laid herbs upon the place, 
and said, “Go now to thy bed, dear roe, and 
get well.” 

The wound, however, was so slight that the 
next morning he felt nothing of it, and when 
he heard the noise of the hunt he said, “I can- 
not keep away ; I must go, and nothing shall 
keep me.” 

His sister cried and said, “Now you will go 
and be killed, and leave me here alone in the 
forest, forsaken by all the world; I will not 
let you go out.” 

“Then I shall die here of grief,” answered 
the roe: “for when I hear the sound of the 
horn I do feel as if I could jump out of my 
shoes.” So his sister could not do less than 
open the door with a heavy heart, and the roe 
sprang out joyfully into the forest. 

As soon as the king saw him, he said to his 
huntsmen, “Now hunt him all day till even- 
ing, but don't do anything to hurt him.” 

When the sun was set the king said to his 
huntsman, “Now come and show me the little 
house you saw in the wood. ” And when he 
was before the door he knocked and cried, 
“Dear little sister, let mein.” Immediately 


212 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


the door opened, the king entered, and there 
stood a maiden more beautiful than any one he 
had ever seen. The damsel was frightened 
when she found there had come in, not her roe, 
but a man who wore a golden crown on his 
head. But the king looked kindly at her, took 
her hand, and said, “Wilt thou go with me to 
my castle, and be my dear wife?” 

“Oh, yes,” answered the maiden, “but the 
roe must come with me, for I cannot forsake 
him. ” 

The king replied, “He shall remain with 
you as long as you live, and shall want for 
nothing. ” 

At this moment he came springing in, his 
sister tied the cord of rushes round his neck, 
led him with her own hand, and they all left 
the little house together. 

The king took the beautiful maiden on his 
own horse and conducted her to his castle, 
where the marriage was celebrated with great 
pomp. She was now queen, and they lived a 
long time very happily together; while the roe 
was petted and taken care of, and played all 
day about the palace garden. 

But the wicked stempmother, on whose 
account these children had been driven into 
the wide world, thought nothing less than that 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 213 


the little sister had been torn to pieces by wild 
beasts in the forest, and that the brother, in 
the shape of a roe, had been killed by the 
hunters. When she now heard they were so 
happy, and that everything went well with 
them, envy and spite raged in her heart and 
gave her no rest, and her only thought was how 
she could do some mischief to them both. 
Her own daughter, who was as ugly as the 
night and had only one eye, was continually 
reproaching her, and saying, “It is I who 
ought to have been made queen. ” 

“Never mind,” said the old witch to console 
her; “when the time comes I will manage it.” 

By and by the queen gave birth to a beauti- 
ful little boy; and the king being away at the 
hunt, the old witch took upon herself the form 
of the lady-in-waiting, entered the room where 
the queen lay, and said to her, “Come, the bath 
is ready, which will do you good and give you 
new strength; make haste before it gets cold.” 
Her daughter was also at hand, and they car- 
ried the poor weak queen between them into 
the bath-room and laid her in the bath : then 
they shut the door and ran away. But under 
the bath they had first lighted a great furnace 
fire, so that the beautiful young queen could 
not save herself from being scorched alive. 


214 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 

When that was done the old witch took her 
own daughter, put a cap on her, and laid her 
on the bed in the queen’s room. She changed 
her also into the shape of the young queen, all 
except her one eye, and she could not give 
her another. But in order that the king 
might not observe it, she was obliged 
to lie on that side where there was no eye. 
In the evening, when he was come home, 
and heard that he had a little son, he was 
very much delighted, and wished to visit 
his dear wife and see how she was getting 
on; on which the old woman cried out in a 
great hurry, “As you value your life, don’t 
touch the curtain; the queen must not see the 
light, and must be left quite quiet.” So the 
king went away, and never found out that it 
was a false queen in the bed. 

But when it was midnight, and all the world 
was asleep, the nurse who was sitting beside 
the cradle, and who was the only person awake, 
saw the door open and the true queen come in. 
She took the baby out of the cradle, laid it in 
her arms, and nursed it tenderly. She then 
shook up the pillows, laid it down again, and 
covered it with the counterpane. She did not 
forget the roe either, but went into the corner 
where it lay, and stroked it gently. After 


THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 215 


this she passed out, quite silently, through the 
door; and the nurse inquired next morning of 
the sentinels whether any one had gained 
entrance into the palace during the night, but 
they answered, “No — we have seen nobody.” 
She continued to come in the same way for sev- 
eral nights, though she spoke never a word : 
the nurse always saw her, but never dared to 
mention it. 

When some time had passed, the queen at 
last began to speak, and said : 

“How is my baby? How is my roe? 

I can come again twice, then forever must go. ’ ’ 

The nurse could not answer her; but when 
she had disappeared she went to the king, and 
told him all about it, upon which he cried, 
“What does it mean? I will myself watch by 
the child to-night.” 

In the evening he came to the nursery, and 
there at midnight the dead queen appeared, 
and said, 

“How is my baby? How is my roe? 

1 can come but once more, then forever mnst go,” 

and nursed and fondled the baby as before, 
then vanished. The king did not dare to 


216 THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. 


address her, but watched again the following 
night. This time she said: 

“How is my baby? How is my roe? 

I can come but this once, then forever must go.” 

upon which the king could no longer contain 
himself, but sprang forward and cried, “Thou 
canst surely be no one but my own dear wife!” 

She replied, “Yes, I am thy dear wife;’’ and 
as soon as she had spoken these words she was 
restored to life, and became once more fresh 
and blooming. 

Then she related to the king the crime com- 
mitted on her by the old witch and her ugly 
daughter, whom he at once commanded to be 
brought to judgment, and had sentence passed 
upon them. The daughter was taken forth 
into the woods, where the wild beasts tore her 
in pieces, and the witch was burned. And 
behold! as soon as there was nothing left of 
her but ashes, the white roe became changed 
again and resumed his human form; so they 
all lived happily together till the end of their 
lives. 


THE END. 






























. 
































































































































4 


•r v/ 






























































' 














































1900 
































































* 
















































































\ 

, ' 










\ ' 


. 



















































L 








*--a 















































LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



0002571715b 




